Incorporating community mental health into local bioterrorism response planning: experiences from the DeKalb County Board of Health.

Following a brief introduction to response planning for terrorism and other disasters, the authors present their experiences in developing a grassroots, interdisciplinary group charged with incorporating a mental health response component into the bioterrorism response plan for the metropolitan Atlanta area. This group was organized and supported by the Center for Public Health Preparedness at the DeKalb County Board of Health. Various viewpoints of key participating agencies are presented. Recommendations are provided for other localities and stakeholders who plan to incorporate a community mental health component into local disaster response plans.