N.Y. agency continues tragedy response; NASMHPD coordinates national efforts.(National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors coordinates response for care of those affected by World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks)

The National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) is coordinating offers from other state mental health systems to assist New York state's Office of Mental Health (OMH) in responding to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

So far, NASMHPD has fielded offers from 34 states and has developed a list of more than 1,000 disaster-trained specialists who are ready and willing to go to New York City in the event that they are needed to help with grief counseling and relieving front-line mental health staff.

New York mental health commissioner James L. Stone asked NASMHPD to take on the gatekeeper role as offers to volunteer flooded into New York, …