Yankee Mackems charity appeal
Those who know me know that I'm fairly involved in psychology- in particular mental illness. In fact, as I've mentioned before, I work in a major hospital in the New York City area in precisely that field (I work quite closely with the PTSD group there) and recently I recieved a call for help from my freinds in the Disaster Psychiatry Outreach organisation (or DPO) that I could not ignore.
The DPO is working to assist disaster stricken communities affected by the South Asian tsunami’s. Together with your help, DPO can fulfill its mission to reduce peoples’ suffering in the aftermath of disaster through the expertise and good will of volunteer psychiatrists. Bear in mind that this team is made up of my freinds and colleagues in two of the hospitals that I Work in and is completely non-profit.
DPO is sending an advance needs assessment team of volunteer psychiatrists to Sri Lanka in the coming weeks, with a number of other plans underway. At this time your cash donations are of critical importance. While many other organizations have taken on the gargantuan task of addressing physical and medical needs, DPO is working to address the no less daunting psychological needs surrounding this tragedy. This requires teams on the ground to assess needs, provide immediate services, train local professionals, and assist in the development and implementation of long term mental health services.
As both a member of the psychiatry department and as an independent Sunderland suporter I believe I could help, perhaps you can too.
In recent years, we have trained hundreds of psychiatrists, other mental health professionals and emergency medical personnel to utilize the mental health skills that would be exceedingly important in the care of the current tsunami victims… except they are a world away. We need your help to bring us closer to them.
DPO can provide the following culturally sensitive services towards helping children and adult survivors of the South Asian tsunami’s:
• Direct care and support to survivors and other affected individuals through the deployment of volunteer psychiatrists.
• Training of mental health and other professionals deploying to the affected communities in disaster mental health.
• Training and consultation to local health care and other professionals who reside in the disaster-stricken communities in disaster psychiatry.
• Assistance with development of a sustainable mental health response system to meet both the acute and long-term mental health needs of affected communities.
To accomplish all of this we ask that you consider contributing to DPO’s efforts.
Also
•Anyone aware of a specific South Asian community in need of mental health services should notify our office with the name and contact information of a specific person in that community.
•If you are considering making a cash contribution to the relief efforts, we ask that you make DPO your charity of choice and recommend us to your friends. The exchange rate to the UK pound is particularaly appealing so we get more bang to your buck so to speak.
In order to help, please go to their website, www.disasterpsych.org, call them at their office directly at Tel: (212)-598-9995 (001 212 598 9995 from the UK, so don't phone if you can't afford it, there's a safe donation point on the above site )
WHY ON A SUNDERLAND WEBSITE?
About now we're all probably sick and tired of constant chairty appeals for the tsunami disaster; many of us have already given so much. But by putting this here I'm hoping that at least one or two people might be able to help. IF they do then that is something of a victory for the organisation.
WHY NEW YORK?
Founded in 1998, DPO has extensive experience in providing psychiatric assistance in the aftermath of both manmade and natural disasters. Their experience spans the crash of Egypt Air 990, to the 2001 El Salvador earthquakes, to the 9/11 terrorist attacks right where I am based in New York City. My freinds helped then and they can help again now. Together with our many volunteers and many partners, they were the primary provider of acute psychiatric services to the City of New York after 9/11. The team is not made up of americans; a lot of us are from all over the world.
HOW DO I KNOW THIS IS VALID?
A lot of so called charity organisations are bogus, I accept that. However these are my colleagues who are going in the basic healthcare role, a lot of people need their help about now. If no money is donated, another MD can't go. Its that simple.
Thanks for your time,
'Adam' The yankee mackem
