Being There When It Counts: The Proceedings of the 8th Rocky Mountain Region Disaster Mental Health Conference

by George Doherty

Overview

Being There When It Counts" is what Disaster Mental Health Services (DMHS) teams try hardest to achieve before, during and following disasters, critical incidents, crises, and terrorist activities. Although a relatively new field, these teams have quickly become an integral part of disaster and critical incident preparedness, mitigation, response, and follow‐up. DMHS began with Critical Incident Stress Debriefing and Critical Incident Stress Management. In order to continue to grow and meet identified needs, both continued development as well as focused research. Research will help identify how Mental Health Services can best be utilized as well as how relevant changes need to be made in practice. Networking and sharing experiences can also help develop resources.

The 8th Rocky Mountain Region Disaster Mental Health Conference was held Nov. 7‐9, 2009 in Cheyenne, Wyoming. This volume highlights key papers from presenters.

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Product Details

BN ID:	2940011915147
Publisher:	Rocky Mountain DMH Institute Press
Publication date:	10/25/2010
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	144
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

George Doherty resides in Laramie, WY where he founded the Rocky Mountain Region Disaster Mental Health Institute, Inc. He is currently employed as the President/CEO of this organization and also serves as Clinical Coordinator of the Snowy Range Critical Incident Stress Management Team.

He has been involved with disaster relief since 1995, serving as a Disaster Mental Health Specialist with such incidents as the UP train wreck in Laramie, Hurricane Fran in North Carolina, the Cincinnati floods in Falmouth, KY and Tropical Storm Allison in Southeast Texas. He served as Supervisor for Disaster Mental Health for flash floods in Ft. Collins, and spent a month as the Red Cross Disaster Mental Health Coordinator for western Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane George.

He has also published numerous articles in disaster mental health and traumatic stress publications and served as Guest Editor for 2 Special Editions of the journal Traumatology (1999 & 2004).

He served as an officer in the US Air Force and was an OTS instructor, squadron commander and other positions. Additionally, he served 11 years involved in Air Search & Rescue with Civil Air Patrol in WY as Squadron Commander, Deputy Wing Commander, Air Operations Officer, and Master Observer. Certified Instructor with the Wyoming Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST).

Editorial Reviews

"Being There When It Counts" should be read by every emergency management professional but especially by those operating in a mental health related capacity. While returning a community to its pre-disaster condition is the goal of response and recovery, it must include not only the physical but the mental aspects for recovery to be truly effective. George W. Doherty provides this while continuing to offer additional subjects and presentations in disaster mental health proceedings.

Vicki Landes

"Being There When It Counts" should be read by every emergency management professional but especially by those operating in a mental health related capacity. While returning a community to its pre-disaster condition is the goal of response and recovery, it must include not only the physical but the mental aspects for recovery to be truly effective. George W. Doherty provides this while continuing to offer additional subjects and presentations in disaster mental health proceedings.

Reader Views - Vicki Landes