A look at Project Heartland

Tuesday, April 18th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Project Heartland was activated by the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services in direct response to the April 19, 1995, bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building.

Its role was expanded in May 1999 to offer disaster mental health services to Oklahomans affected by the May 3 tornado outbreak that killed 44 people, damaged or destroyed more than 8,000 homes and wrecked hundreds of businesses in a 19-county area.

Project Heartland provides counseling and intervention, support groups, outreach and consultation/education to individuals affected by the bombing, the tornadoes or both. The agency divides recipients of its services into two categories:

--Clients, who receive direct, personalized attention from a Project Heartland counselor in individual, group or marital therapy session; in an emergency crisis intervention; in support group meetings or through advocacy or referral efforts.

--Other recipients, who are contacted by outreach workers offering educational materials and information on services; were provided debriefing sessions as part of workplace groups; were given support at the trial-related Safe Havens; or who attended Project Heartland educational seminars on topics such as grief ortraumatic stress.

--From June 1, 1995, when data collection began, through Jan. 31,2000, Project Heartland provided services to 10,268 clients and 259,758 other recipients who were affected by the bombing, the tornadoes or both. The number of recipients receiving bombing-related services grew steadily from the inception of the project through the one-year anniversary of the bombing. Demand for services remained fairly strong through 1996, then declined substantially.

Increases in services to other recipients grew during the spring and fall of 1997 during the federal trials of Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols. Demand for bombing-related services continued at a relatively low level throughout 1998 and into 1999.

After the May 3, 1999, tornado outbreak, demand for disaster mental health services rose dramatically. From May 4, 1999, through Jan. 31, 2000, Project Heartland staff provided services to 1,068 clients and 68,693 other recipients affected by the tornadoes only and an additional 176 clients who were affected by both disasters.

Project Heartland is funded by the Department of Justice and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.