Responding to trauma—extraordinarily meaningful.

The behavioral and psychological component of trauma is critical. It is noted that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration seeks to ensure that every citizen in the US is served by an organized and coordinated system of timely and effective emergency medical care. However, the field of emergency medical services is changing and these changes require new players and partners. States are focusing on inclusive systems of emergency medical care that encompass trauma care and injury prevention. Thus, behavioral scientists will play a greater role than ever before. An example is given of training for trauma intervention, in which a school of professional psychology operates the local hospital emergency room crisis service. Staffed by faculty and students, they triage, treat, or refer all mental health emergencies. A case is also made for more research on causation and prevention of accidental deaths and injury. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)