HHS has sent 25 public health service officers to provide behavioral health services to individuals affected by wildfires in Hawaii.
HHS sent a team of psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and nurse practitioners, according to a Sept. 22 news release. The members of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps began work Sept. 20, assisting the community medical facility in Lahaina, Hawaii, with clinical workload, including education and behavioral health assessments and referrals.
Wildfires on the islands of Maui and Hawaii began Aug. 8 and claimed the lives of at least 97 people, the deadliest wildfires in the U.S. in over a century. HHS declared a public health emergency in the state on Aug. 11.
"The wildfires have left communities devastated," U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, MD, said in the news release. "Survivors are grieving the loss of loved ones and the loss of their homes and community. The mental health impact of such disasters is profound, and I am grateful to the Public Health Service officers for providing much needed counseling and support as individuals and families begin to rebuild."