Tragedy at Virginia Tech: A Rural Health Outreach

Program’s Role in Immediate and Long-

Term Disaster Recovery Amy Forsyth-Stephens, MSW, Executive Director

Mental Health Association of the New River Valley, Inc.

Presented at:

Health Resources and Services AdministrationAll-Programs Meeting

August 27, 2007Washington, D.C.

April 16, 2007

A violent day - extremely windy, unseasonably cold, a grey Monday, and Income Tax Day

One day changes everything

The nation had experienced an “earthquake to our souls” and Blacksburg, Virginia was at the epicenter.

4-16-07 was a pure mental health disaster Health and safety needs put to

rest quickly Mental health impact extreme, due to

various unique factors

Largely rural community, which means…

Volunteer fire and rescue Everyday people

experiencing the unthinkable

Close knit community—people’s stories traveled quickly

Also adding to the psychological impact:

The extremely violent nature of the incident.

Cho’s pre-planning and precise execution of the killings.

Cho was a community and campus member- this was not inflicted from the “outside.”

Extreme re-traumatization caused by Cho’s manifesto two days later.

Overview of the Mental Health Association

of the New River Valley

Largest MHA Chapter in Virginia Located blocks from VT campus Leader in pre- and

post-booking jail diversion programs

Operate a free, mental

health clinic for the low-

income uninsured

Rural Health Outreach Program:

ARMS Reach: Access to Rural Mental Health Services

ARMS Breaking Down Barriers

Transportation Stigma Cost Cultural factors

A pilot site for a 2003 NMHA project: Blueprint for Responding to Public Mental Health Needs in Times of Crisis

Conducted extensive local disaster mental health planning in 2003-04

Executed drills, signed MOAs, established roles and protocols

Response Phases

Phase I: Immediate (first 4 days)

Phase II: Through student re-entry to campus on Monday and Tuesday, April 23-24th

Phase III: Through VT graduation, May 12th

Phase IV: Up to one-year anniversary

Phase I On site at Inn at Virginia Tech (disaster

headquarters)Families gathered, responders deployed

and decompressed Coordination with other providers

Cook Counseling Center of VTRed CrossPublic MH agency (New River

Valley Community Services)

We divided up the immediate work

FAMILIES AND RESPONDERS

COMMUNITY AT LARGEVT FACULTY AND STUDENTS

Convocation on April 17th An uplifting, healing event on TV President chanting “Let’s Go Hokies” In stands, many had difficulty:

Uncontrollable sobbing Heart palpitations Shortness of breath Freezing up, numb Fainting

CHAT

Our Mental Health Association created the Center for Community Healing After Tragedy (CHAT)

High Impact Groups identified and listed on “master plan”

Tier One Groups

Victim’s families Injured individuals and their families Front line responders in Norris and AJ Highly affected VT Departments, faculty

and staff

Tier Two Groups

Second line responders not in Norris Hall or AJ dorm (perimeter workers)

Survivors and witnesses VT building facilities workers Postal workers Roommates and floor mates of Cho and victims Resident Advisors

Tier Two Groups, cont.

Cho’s instructors High profile VT administrators Responders’ families—spouses and children Family liaisons assigned to victims’

families by VT Korean community, on campus and community-

at-large, including school children

Tier Three Groups

VT student body at large VT faculty at large VT staff at large (those with

and without benefits)

Hospital staff (4 hospitals involved)

Funeral home staff Medical Examiner Office staff

Tier Three Groups, cont.

Red Cross workers Clean-up crews at AJ and Norris Archivists Staff at the Inn at Virginia Tech Non-dominant populations, on and off campus Front line mental health responders Mental health and legal professionals

involved in Cho’s past

Tier Four Groups Marching Virginians Corps of Cadets GLBTQ community Local media people Campus chaplains Community Clergy Fragile Elderly Those with existing PTSD or past gun violence Current mental health consumers School teachers and guidance counselors Private schools and home-schoolers

Tier Five Groups

VT alumni Employers and landlords

of victims

Blacksburg “townies” who resent students

People with ties to Blacksburg

PHASE II

Assisted with one of the nation’s largest deployments of mental health professionals in history

Headquartered at VT’s Lane Stadium press box

Local mental health professionals enlisted to help

Lane Stadium Press Box

Began Holding “Grief Gatherings”

Mental Health Command Center Moved to Local CSB Facility Operates crisis hotline, and

received many distress calls; deployed DMH responders (“hotshots”)

DMH responders were deployed to all natural gatherings of mourners or those involved in the tragedy

DMH responders deployed to drill field 24/7

PHASE III

VT Graduation Weekend, May 11-12th28 different eventsVictims’ families housed togetherStudents, families, alumni returning for the

first time after the shootingMedia returns!

Phase IV

Mental Health Community moves from Honeymoon Phase to Disillusionment Phase:

Facing the task ahead. Tendency to retreat into silos. Budget implications and anxieties sink in.

“Helping Us Help You” Event

Held June 11, 2007

Purpose: To identify community mental health priorities now and in the future

Outcomes: Specific interventions created by and for the local community

Money Issues

So much giving, so little money.Battles begin between the funds.Territoriality regarding grants.

“Recovery is not a sprint, it’s a marathon.”

We will continue to invent the future through our blood and tears and through all our sadness.... We will prevail....

-- Nikki Giovanni, University Distinguished Professor, poet, activist

Images of Healing

Squires Student Center