Outreach and Peer-Delivered Mental Health Services in New York City following September 11, 2001

Objective: Following the tragedy of September 11, 2001, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funded Project Liberty, an umbrella program operating from multiple sites throughout New York City to provide free crisis counseling and other assistance. One particular Project Liberty site provided peer support services for individuals with pre-existing psychiatric disabilities. This article reports on the outreach efforts undertaken by Project Liberty's Peer Initiative. Methods: As part of a broader qualitative study, face to face interviews were conducted with Project Liberty Peer Initiative staff and service recipients. Conclusions: Outreach was found to be a key strategy used to identify and connect with psychiatrically disabled individuals in need after disasters. Implications for the use of similar outreach strategies in future disaster planning and service delivery are described.