A mental health program for ground zero rescue and recovery workers: cases and observations.
Clinical vignettes from the World Trade Center Worker and Volunteer Mental Health Monitoring and Treatment Program at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City are presented. The hospital-based program pairs mental health screenings with federally funded occupational medical screenings to identify persons with mental health problems related to their rescue and recovery roles. The program also provides on-site mental health treatment. The cases illustrate the diverse mental health needs of the rescue and recovery workers, some of whom initially sought treatment years after September 11, 2001. The cases show that in addition to symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, workers experienced survivor guilt, distressing memories of childhood trauma, shame associated with intense feelings, substance abuse relapse, psychosis, and problems with family relationships.
Katz
Craig L
CL
Mount Sinai Department of Social Work, New York City, USA. craiglkatz@gmail.com
Smith
Rebecca
R
Silverton
Marsha
M
Holmes
Anastasia
A
Bravo
Carlos
C
Jones
Kristina
K
Kiliman
Marta
M
Lopez
Norma
N
Malkoff
Laurie
L
Marrone
Kathryn
K
Neuman
Alla
A
Stephens
Tricia
T
Tavarez
Wendy
W
Yarowsky
Anne
A
Levin
Stephen
S
Herbert
Robin
R
D000328:Adult; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015897:Comorbidity; D003419:Crisis Intervention / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006167:Guilt; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D018635:Rescue Work / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D047851:September 11 Terrorist Attacks / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012752:Shame; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D013534:Survival / Q000523:psychology