Officials in Hawaii are scrambling to support the enormous and growing mental health needs of Maui residents traumatized by the deadliest wildfire in modern history
"They've lost family, they've lost their pets. They've lost everything," says south Maui clinical social worker Debbie Scott. She says for some who had to flee the flames, the initial shock is now giving way to wrenching anxiety, nightmares, anxiety, depression and sometimes anger, as the depth of the trauma settles in.
"I called him by his name and I said 'listen let's see about what we need to do to make sure you feel safe enough to get on that bus'" to a better temporary home. Compounding the grief here, hundreds are still listed as unaccounted for. In addition, people can't identify their lost loved ones. Only a few remains have been ID-ed so far. And some may never be found.
State and federal officials are trying to mobilize a fresh influx of mental health clinicians to help the some 65 clinicians already on the ground here, Maui behavioral health administrator Oliver says. To make that easier, Hawaii's governor issuedBut the need, and the hurt, are enormous. And getting care, and in some cases psychiatric medication, to the displaced scattered across the island is a mammoth task.
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