Meeting the Patients Where They Are: Consultation-Liaison Response to Trauma Victims of the Pentagon Attack

Abstract

The Psychiatry Consultation-Liaison Service at Walter Reed Army Medical Center provided an immediate mental health response to hospitalized victims of the Pentagon attack on September 11. This article reviews our experience with this population and the lessons learned. Successful intervention required a flexible and innovative approach that included export of our services to the patient's location, liaison with involved facilities and treatment teams, and modification of therapeutic contact. Our debriefing approach was adapted to accommodate the victims' vulnerable psychological state in the wake of the trauma. Clinically effective interventions were implemented with the goals of reducing psychological symptoms, facilitating compliance with medical care, supporting rapid recovery of social and occupational functioning, and integrating social supports. This unique method, which we call "therapeutic debriefing," can serve as a model for future interventions after catastrophic events.