APA Sends Message To Spanish Colleagues

At its March meeting, the APA Board of Trustees passed the following resolution in support of the people of Spain. The Board meeting began one day after terrorist attacks killed scores of people on Spanish commuter trains.

The American Psychiatric Association wishes to express its profound sorrow at the loss of life from the March 11, 2004, terrorist attack on the people of Spain. We also wish to express our solidarity with our psychiatric colleagues in Spain, who will now be called upon to provide professional assistance to survivors of this violence. As we now share in the experience of a national terrorist tragedy, we also express our appreciation for the support [that] Spanish psychiatrists provided to us in the wake of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States. The international expertise on posttraumatic responses shared with the United States in the unique teleconference between the October 2001 World Psychiatric Association Regional Conference in Madrid, New York City psychiatrists, and Washington, D.C., psychiatrists was most supportive and helpful.

We remain committed to sharing the results of our joint professional experience in meeting the medical/mental health needs of citizens affected by these tragedies. ▪