The Impact of 9/11 on New York City's Substance Abuse Treatment Programs

Abstract

Given the far-reaching effects of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, a study was conducted under the supervision of the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services to assess the impact on New York City's substance abuse treatment programs. A stratified, random sample of 15 treatment programs was selected to represent the system's major modalities. Administrators representing these programs were interviewed face-to- face using a structured interview schedule. The questions mainly probed the problems experienced on 9/11 and afterwards, patient issues and the lessons learned. The findings show major concerns for the mental health of both staff members and patients, the failure of the telephone communication system, the particular sensitivity of drug-free outpatient clinics, the challenges experienced by methadone programs, and the need to update disaster planning. A host of problems came to the fore now requiring another level of thinking.

Immediate Impact of Hurricane Sandy on People Who Inject Drugs in New York City

“…Electrical service disruption made it difficult for businesses, including pharmacies, to reopen. Interrupted HIV medication therapy, as well as interrupted MMT, were previously observed following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 (Frank, Dewart, Schmeidler, & Demirjian, 2006; Halkitis, Kutnick, Rosof, Slater, & Parsons, 2003), and following Hurricane Katrina (Clark, et al, 2006; Maxwell, Podus, & Walsh, 2009). …”

Psychiatric Comorbidity, Red Flag Behaviors, and Associated Outcomes among Office-Based Buprenorphine Patients Following Hurricane Sandy

“…17 Among opioid-dependent patients enrolled in methadone treatment programs (MTP) and intensive outpatient programs, higher rates of illicit substance use and positive urine samples were also reported following the 9/11 attacks. 18 Similarly, some evidence suggests that reports of inaccessible or closed MTP's may have led to increases in heroin and prescription misuse. 19 Following the 2003 Bam earthquake in Iran, an acute reduction in heroin supplies contributed to a surge in opioid-dependent patients seeking treatment for acute withdrawal.…”

Disasters and Population Health

“…As a result, the "scoop and run" technique of patient transportation was practiced, placing major burden on receiving hospitals. Indeed, loss of communication during disasters has been reported by hospitals after many types of disasters, from earthquakes (Peleg et al, 2002;Rathore et al, 2007) to terrorist attacks (Bradt, 2003;Frank, Dewart, Schmeidler, & Demirjian, 2006), to tsunamis (Maegele et al, 2005).…”

“…For example, Opium addicts suffering from a severed drug supply following the Bam Earthquake often tried to leverage rescue operations to obtain drugs and prevent withdrawal, with relative success (Movaghar et al, 2005). After September 11, 2001 terrorist attack, administrators of methadone maintenance programs in New York City faced an ethical dilemma as well: many patients reported trouble making the trek to their programs due to interrupted public transportation or chose to go to other closer clinics instead (Frank et al, 2006). Administrators were forced to make decisions about dosage for guest patients, sometimes without verification, and about take-home dosages for their own patients, given the instability of public transportation.…”