Newswise — The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) todayannounced $648,404 in SAMHSA grants to gulf coast states providing behavioral healthcare and other social services to people affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster. The grants will help the states conduct surveillance and provide data to direct the provision of behavioral healthcare services for people who are experiencing trauma and severe stress.
“Although public attention to the gulf oil spill has waned, the psychological impact resulting from loss of income, dislocation, and environmental destruction is only just beginning for some and may be felt for years to come,” said SAMHSA’s Administrator Pamela S. Hyde, J.D. “These grants will help the states better target the limited resources available and reach those most in need with behavioral health services.”
The states receiving grant funding for surveillance of behavior health concerns and utilization of counseling services to impacted populations to date are:
Louisiana—$162,500
Florida—$161,404
Alabama—$162,500
Mississippi—$162,000
In addition to these grants, SAMHSA, with the rest of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), continues to provide a wide range of assistance (in part with funds from BP) to meet the behavioral health needs of those recovering from this disaster – these efforts include:
Oil Spill Distress Helpline (1-800-985-5990): This is a new toll-free helpline that provides information, support and counseling for families and children affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The Oil Spill Distress Helpline links callers to behavioral healthcare services and will serve as an important resource for the localized oil spill outreach efforts in the gulf coast states. Callers to the national disaster behavioral health number will be automatically routed to the closest Gulf Coast Lifeline Crisis Center based on their area code and exchange. This new helpline will also integrate its services with the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
Comprehensive Behavioral Health Education and Information Plan: SAMHSA has developed a regional public education campaign designed to raise awareness about behavioral health issues and connect those in need to services available. Efforts include the development and dissemination of communication and media materials to include:
· Assistance in the coordination and support of local and regional communications & marketing activities to promote awareness of the hotline number;
· Public education and outreach materials on behavioral health for dissemination among residents in affected areas;
· Public messaging about recognizing signs and symptoms of distress and self management techniques;
· Consumer-friendly resource materials and information for downloading news and events related to recovery and resilience-building efforts, etc., specific for this disaster via the SAMHSA website;
o Public messaging described above including information to families and educators about how to talk to kids and respond effectively.
o Development and distribution of television, radio and print public service announcements.
SAMHSA has been directing attention and public education resources to address the behavioral health issues arising from the oil spill and to ensure vulnerable populations are considered in the gulf region’s response efforts. SAMHSA has published and widely disseminated “Tip Sheets” for coping with the oil spill disaster. The complete series of tip sheets can be accessed at http://www.samhsa.gov/Disaster/traumaticevents.aspx.
· Tips for Talking to Children & Youth About the Oil Spill Disaster - A Guide for Parents and Educators
· Tips for Talking to Children & Youth About the Oil Spill Disaster - Interventions at Home for Preschoolers to Adolescents
· Tips for Coping with the Oil Spill Disaster - Managing Your Stress
· Tips for Dealing with Grief Due to the Oil Spill Disaster
· Tips for Oil Spill Disaster Response Workers - Possible Signs of Alcohol and Substance Abuse
· Tips for Oil Spill Disaster Response Workers - Managing and Preventing Stress for Managers and Workers
· Tips for Talking to Students About the Oil Spill Disaster - A Guide for Teachers and School Administrators
Behavioral Health Surveillance Efforts Related to the Oil Spill: SAMSHA and others in HHS, in large part using BP funding, will conduct an extensive effort to discover and assess the behavioral health needs of people affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. This comprehensive effort will require not only immediate assessment efforts, but longer-term surveillance to adequately understand the full extent of the affected area’s behavioral health needs and the impact of behavioral health interventions on its recovery.
HHS will employ a number of its national surveys in this assessment program. Specialized sampling efforts will be undertaken throughout the gulf region using SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). The total cost for these efforts will be approximately $8 million.
These efforts are part of SAMHSA’s public awareness and support; trauma and justice; and data, quality and outcomes strategic initiatives.
SAMHSA is a public health agency within the Department of Health and Human Services. Its mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities.
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