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News Release

HHS TO PROVIDE $250,000 FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
TO BOTH VIRGINIA AND DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA FOLLOWING SNIPER ATTACKS
Similar Assistance Offered To Maryland Earlier This Week

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced that HHS will provide up to $250,000 in immediate assistance to both Virginia and the District of Columbia to provide mental health services to the victims, families and others affected by the random shooter that has claimed at least seven lives and seriously wounded two others in a shooting spree across the Washington metropolitan region. HHS made a similar offer to Maryland on Tuesday.

"We are making these resources available to help identify and meet the overwhelming human needs for counseling, support and recovery in the wake of the tragedy brought on by this murderer," Secretary Thompson said. "The residents of Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia should know that we will do everything we can to help in the healing process."

HHS' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will make the money available and is offering immediate and long-term assistance to support state and local efforts to work with schools and community organizations to reduce the traumatic effects of these shootings.

"Everyone should understand that physical and emotional reactions to a trauma such as this are normal," SAMSHA Administrator Charles G. Curie said. "We are also mobilizing our Safe Schools/Healthy Students Action Center and our National Center for Child Traumatic Stress to provide immediate help to assist children experiencing post traumatic stress disorder."

SAMHSA has a $30 million network of grants and contracts to provide services nationally to providers who assist children experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder. SAMHSA also funds a $2.5 million Safe Schools/Healthy Students Action Center that can provide students, teachers and school administrators with written materials, Web-based information and connections to local resources.

According to SAMHSA, parents can help their children understand; teachers can help their students do the same. Some children may have reactions very soon after the event. Others may seem fine for weeks or months, and then begin to show worrisome behavior. For information about local mental health services or to obtain informational materials to help understand and talk about emotional effects of trauma, call 1-800-789-2647 (TDD: 301-443-9006).

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Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at www.hhs.gov/news.

Last Revised: October 15, 2002