日本保健医療行動科学会年報 Vol.27 2012.6《焦点２》災害における危機介入─ ─────────────────────────────

AMHA Disaster Mental Health Intervention SystemAmy Chang, LMFT*
Director of Asian Mental Health Association

キーワード：
disaster, mental health, intervention

Effective Disaster Mental Health Intervention (also known as crisis intervention)
is applied with a comprehensive understanding of psychological responses for thediversity of disaster victims and rescuers. With which teams of crisis responders
are trained to provide survivors supports for psychological comfort and aftermathreconstruction in multicultural and multi-disciplinary approach. It is evidenced
that a timely crisis intervention can minimize the loss and trauma experienced bysurvivors, and to speed up recoveries for individuals and communities.
Typhoon Morakat hit Taiwan on August 8th 2009, the majority of the victims
and survivors were from different ethnic groups which included Han, Pengpu andother aboriginal groups such as Paiwan, Bunun, Rukai, Puyuma and Tsou. Different
languages, cultural values, and pre-crisis life experiences within these groups havecomplicated the rescue work and aftermath reconstruction. It was critical forgovernment policy makers, service providers have well understanding the conceptof crisis response and disaster mental health in order to provide adequate supports
to speed up survivors recoveries (psychologically or daily lives).
Morakat Typhoon aftermath, AMHA CRT (Asian Mental Health Association
Crisis Response Team) joined Morakat Typhoon Rescue Alliance headed by Taiwan＊Director of Asian Mental Health Association41

Red Cross, utilized Emergency Response Concept and expanded it into supportingaftermath reconstruction. AMHA CRT accompanied Xiao Lin Village Survivorthroughout their first Chinese New Year after disaster, a sensitive family gathering
holiday, to prevent survivors’
self-destructions resulting from“survivor’s quilt”. AMHACRT has held over 40 trainings, trained over thousands of volunteers how to docrisis response. It has effectively prevented 90% of 600 frontline workers fromdeveloping PTSD. AMHA CRT identified misdiagnosis of mental health symptoms,
which has saved Department of Public Health over millions of Taiwan dollars incrisis mental health treatment. In order to serve best interest of survivors, AMHA
CRT has demonstrated the importance of collaborating with various counterparts
across governmental, private and non-profit organizations, despite the possible
conflicted interest in supporting survivors.
AMHA’s Crisis Responders have utilized the following twenty-two subjects toeffectively help survivors alleviate sense of hopelessness and move forward tofuture reconstructions. Starting from 2012, AMHA will travel to townships andcities in Taiwan to train local volunteers and promote local emergency response
preparations.
1. (Enhance) Helper’s self care and work motivation
2. Understanding different types of crisis: disasters, events
3. Insight of the needs and roles of victims, frontline workers and policy makers
4. Trauma reaction - internal factors
5. External factors impact trauma reactions
6. Utilize Crisis Intervention (CI) techniques: verbal /non-verbal
7. Empathetic listening, adequate companionship
8. Provide group intervention
9. Ethnics and cultural values
10. Spiritual and religious influence
11. Death, loss and grief
12. Trauma reaction/ intervention – children, adolescence, young adults andfamilies
42AMHA Disaster Mental Health Intervention System

13. Trauma reaction/intervention –older adults, special needs and caregivers
14. Helper’s stress reactions
15. Crisis responder’s self care
16. Body relaxation techniques and brain work exercise
17. Community pre-crisis planning and aftermath rehabilitation
18. Coordinate local Crisis Response Team (CRT)
19. Working with media during crisis situation
20. Aftermath community rehabilitation/ social disruption assessment
21. Training community volunteers
22. Long-term stress reaction/grief counseling
The concept of Disaster Mental Health requires time to learn and adapt into ourdaily life and community response plan. I hope my presentation of AMHA’s workin Morakat Typhoon and aftermath will encourage all to recognize the value ofDisaster Mental Health Intervention and adapt the intervention techniques in yourcommunity.

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