Abstract

This paper introduces the Palo Alto Medical Reserve Corps (PAMRC); a program which focuses on disaster mental health education. The reader will be provided with background information on early intervention following a trauma and be introduced to the challenges encountered by the organization during its conception and development and to those faced by mental health professionals as communicated to PAMRC representatives during their response to Houston, TX in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The conclusion of the article will delineate the philosophy and methodology utilized by the PAMRC and describe the efforts of the PAMRC to set in motion a collaborative approach to disaster-related challenges, regardless of specialty.

Recommended Citation

Housley, Jennifer; Liu, Weiling; Charvat, Mylea; and Beutler, Larry E. (2006) "Navigating the Maze of Disaster Mental Health: The Journey of the Palo Alto Medical Reserve Corps," Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management: Vol. 3 : Iss. 3, Article 4.
Available at: http://www.bepress.com/jhsem/vol3/iss3/4