Disaster Psychiatry Outreach
 
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DPO NYC Training

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Haiti Mission

Recent site activity
  • DPO Training - In light of recent events - DPO is announcing a full training session to take place at New York Methodist Hospital on March 27th, Saturday 9 am -5 pm.  Breakfast/Lunch courtesy New York Methodist Department of Neurosciences.  Suggested contribution $250.  Funds collected will go directly to present and future DPO missions.   Read Full Announcement here...
  • Haiti - First team's planned departure is first week of April.  Our doctors to provide assistance and training to the faculty and students at FSIL School of Nursing in Leogane, Haiti. The 120 of the nursing students in Leogane, are virtually the only nursing students left in Haiti now.  They also happen to provide services for about 8,000 refugees that have descended to the Nursing School compound.  Leogane is mere 30 miles away from Port au Prince and suffered a compatible level of devastation.  FSIL School of Nursing survived as the buildings were build to more robust architectural standards.  The rest of the city is 90% in ruins.

    Haiti Nursing Foundation - haitinursing.org/ - is the state-side organization sponsoring FSIL and requesting our assistance. At least 2 teams are scheduled to respond.  Mission in cooperation with Haiti Nursing Foundation.  Please follow our regular updates in our Haiti Updates     section.  Follow us on twitter: @disasterdocs/@disasterdocs/haiti-mental-health
  • Chile - Saturday the 27th of March Chile was hit by a devastating 8.8-Magnitude Earthquake.  Our hearts go out to victims of this disaster.  We are monitoring the situation closely - please, come back for updates and whatever useful information we can bring to you in the future.   
We are actively interfacing with other organizations (NGOs, Faith-based organizations and the like) to provide the most necessary and timely assistance.  Please, check back often for the most up-to-date information. 
  • Kenya - DPO volunteer services provided to Maersk Line, Limited - http://www.maersklinelimited.com/ - after the hijacking of Maersk Alabama off the Somali Coast.  2 DPO psychiatrist responded in support of Maersk Field Team and spent 5 days on location in Mombasa, Kenya returning to Andrews Air Force Base with the crew on April 16th, 2009.  Maersk Lines, Limited responded in kind by providing generous unrestricted gift for our future missions.
  • DPO Activated - recent ditching of the plane in NYC came off without a hitch - DPO was one of the response organizations that were activated within minutes of the event.  Luckily, no direct services by DPO volunteers were needed.
  • Mumbai - Dr. Grant Brenner lead a one man exploratory and education mission.  Read more about it here.  Introducing - DPOTalk.
  • Training - download full video of the DPO intro course.  More video modules added regularly.  Follow the links in theDownloads- older section.

  • DPO President Visits the White House - September 8, 2008 - DPO President Craig L. Katz was invited to the White House to hear remarks on volunteering by President George W. Bush. Joined on the South Lawn by representatives from volunteer groups from around the country.

  • China - Remote Training Participants - please go theFile Cabinet section of our Downloads- older section to download the slides and handouts.
  • American Red Cross - DPO and ARC renew the MOU. 
  • see more on our previous work in our Missions section

Our Mission 

Founded in 1998 by four psychiatrists who took part in the mental health response to the crash of Swissair Flight 111 off the coast of Nova Scotia, DPO was incorporated in 1999 and received 501 (c) 3 status in 2000. DPO brings psychiatric care to victims at disaster sites.

Disaster Psychiatry Outreach (DPO) mission is to alleviate suffering in the aftermath of disaster through the expertise and good will of psychiatrists. To fulfill this mission, DPO responds to catastrophes and provides education and training in disaster mental health to a range of professionals in the healthcare, public health and emergency management sectors.

We:

  • Organize volunteer psychiatrists who provide immediate mental health services in the aftermath of disasters in conjunction with government and private charitable organizations;
  • Develop and implement educational programs, training, and referral mechanisms, and;
  • Develop research and policy in the field of disaster mental health.

DPO's activities are guided by its vision to prevent the development of mental illness after disaster.