Translating five essential elements into programs and practice

"Five Essential Elements of Immediate and Mid-Term Mass Trauma Intervention: Empirical Evidence" summarizes the empirical evidence for a framework for public health/behavioral health intervention in the aftermath of disaster. The authors stop short of suggesting a means by which the elements of this framework might be advanced into practice in specific disasters or incorporated into existent public health plans. Embedded in "next steps" questions are the issues of dissemination, delivery, and prioritization. Incorporation of these elements into policy and practice requires acceptance by a broad range of disaster responders, community leaders, clergy, school teachers, and parents. Delivery of these principles by various types of disaster responders will lead to work-culture sensitive training programs and practices. Finally, efforts to identify delivery priorities and effective matches between specific elements of intervention and specific types of disasters, populations, or responders will advance the effective employment of these guiding principles.