More than 215 people are expected to attend the first-ever Nebraska Disaster Mental Health Conference on July 10-11 at the DoubleTree Hotel in downtown Omaha.
The conference is sponsored by the Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services, the UNMC department of psychiatry, BryanLGH Medical Center, NEBHANDS, and Lutheran Family Services. George Hanigan, deputy director of behavioral health for the Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services, is conference coordinator.
“Disaster mental health programs really didn’t begin until about 1992 when Hurricane Andrew struck in Florida,” said Robin Zagurski, a social worker in the UNMC department of psychiatry and one of the conference planners. “Now, mental health is becoming an increasingly important part of any disaster management program.
“We think it’s important for Nebraska to host this conference. Our plan is to become the national center for the disaster mental health conference and to make it an annual event.”
Nebraska Gov. Mike Johanns will deliver the welcoming remarks along with Richard Raymond, M.D., chief medical officer for Nebraska.
“The conference is just another example of how state agencies in Nebraska have been working with the state university and the private sector to educate people on developing areas of public concern, such as bioterrorism,” Zagurski said. “Judging from the strong response to this conference, it’s indicative of the high level of interest in how people can best deal with disasters.”
Zagurski said people exposed to disasters have a four times greater risk of suffering mental health problems than people exposed to lesser traumatic events.
If not treated, people exposed to disasters can eventually wind up with serious psychiatric problems, such as post traumatic stress syndrome, she said.
“Just because youÃve been exposed to a disaster doesn’t mean you will be damaged by it, but you will be changed by it,” said Zagurski, who spent two weeks in New York City following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack, providing mental health assistance to families.
Some of the speakers at the conference and their topics will include:
- Robert DeMartino, M.D., associate director for the program in trauma and terrorism, Department of Health and Human Services, “Disaster Mental Health: The National Perspective.”
- Anthony Ng, M.D., chair of the New York City Chapter of Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, “Disaster Psychiatry — Coming of Age.”
- Gilbert Reyes, Ph.D., assistant professor, Disaster Mental Health Institute, University of South Dakota, “Recommendations for Improving Disaster Mental Health Services and Utilization.”
- The Rev. Christine Iverson, Lutheran Disaster Response coordinator for Kansas, “Helping Children during a Disaster.”
- Phebe Tucker, M.D., professor and vice chair of education, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, “The Impact of Terrorism: What We Have Learned from Oklahoma City.”
- Rabbi Alan Weitzman, grief counselor, and the Rev. Foster McCurley, Ph.D., theologian-in-residence, “FaithÃs Journey in Times of Disaster.”
The conference is being funded by a $33,000 grant from the Nebraska Health Care Cash Fund. For more information or to register for the conference, contact Kaylene Brandt, phone (402) 479-5117. Registration fee is $35, and continuing education credit hours are available.