Counseling support within the Navy Mass Casualty Assistance Team post-September 11

Prior to the terrorist attacks on the Pentagon and World Trade Center, the Navy Casualty Assistance mass casualty plan was undergoing transformations that were set in place to improve service quality and information flow among all process owners (Navy Leadership, Navy Casualty Assistance Office, Casualty Assistance Calls Officers (CACOs) and next of kin (NOK)). One component of the mass casualty plan was the establishment of a Counseling Support Cell--a group within the Casualty Assistance response team that would provide care and recovery support to team members, CACOs, and NOK. This paper outlines the major objectives of the Counseling Support Cell, phases of implementation, and the impact of our effort.