The Boston Marathon bombing elucidates a mass trauma due to the pressure cooker detonation bombs put by terrorists during the 2013 Olympics. The athletes, spectators, their families, and those who viewed the severely injured and dead victims’ devastating pictures required professional attendance. The pernicious effects of bombing caused colossal damage and emergencies on the public health and the subsequent socio-economic development of the affected parties. Therefore, the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance through the Justice for Victims of Crime Antiterrorism Emergency Assistance Program interventions are critical in enhancing mental health.
Professionals use different programs and techniques to give the necessary help to the Boston Marathon bombing sufferers. Thus, behavioral health counseling is the first program embraced to aid in the victims’ recovery (Naturale et al., 2017). Arguably, the individuals who survived must receive appropriate guidance to remove the devastating memories of seeing other people dead. Moreover, victim assistance is the other program that was implemented (Naturale et al., 2017). The technique aims at helping the wounded who were directly affected by the incident. The plans were executed physically by meeting the sufferers and their immediate families and public seminars (Naturale et al.,2017). Thus, counseling and victim assistance are the two main programs implemented to help the Boston Marathon bombing survivors.
The most critical need is the payment of hospital bills among the severely injured victims and equally helping dead runners’ families, a form of self-actualization as per Maslow. According to Naturale et al. (2017), the Justice Department for Victims of Crime Antiterrorism Emergency Assistance Program provided the most affected individuals with grants. The finances play a significant role, helping the victims’ families evade the bankruptcy drawbacks. Therefore, the disbursement of grants is the immediate need for the victims and their families.
The program focuses on the strengths, whereby through counseling, the injured individuals comprehend that they are lucky to be alive. Through guidance and victim assistance programs, the affected individuals develop hope in life again (Naturale et al., 2017). The therapists use the client’s strengths to enhance a positive process that can make them move to optimal functioning. Moreover, more of the strengths could have been used to help the individuals and the community. The therapist could have motivated the runners that, despite being disabled, they can commence training for Paralympic-related competitions. Connectedly, the program focuses on the strengths as it encourages the runners to increase their self-esteem and see themselves as productive.
Reference
Naturale, A., Lowney, L. T., & Brito, C. S. (2017). Lessons learned from the Boston Marathon bombing victims services program. Clinical Social Work Journal, 45(2), 111−123. Web.