Responding to a Major Disaster: The Trauma Assessment and Support Clinic in Beirut

Abstract

The Beirut port explosion on August 4, 2020, traumatized the Lebanese population. It also revealed a lack of disaster mental health preparedness in a country subject to significant political, economic, and security challenges. The Trauma Assessment and Support Clinic at the American University of Beirut Medical Center was one of many initiatives set up nationally as a dedicated emergency benevolent service. The authors recommend anticipating the psychiatric consequences of such rare events at a professional and systemic level. The experiences of clinicians and the challenges faced in Lebanon can guide the improvement of disaster mental health care on a global level.