ABSTRACT
On April 19, 1995, a truck bomb exploded in front of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (OKC), killing 168 people, including 19 children, and injuring another 500. The bombing generated immense concern among mental health professionals about how to meet the needs of direct victims, surviving family members, and the community as a whole. The primary response was Project Heartland, a crisis counseling program implemented by Oklahoma’s Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (DMHSAS). Most of the funding for Project Heartland was provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as administered by the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS). The Office of Victims of Crime, Red Cross, and various charities and grants also provided funding for mental health services.
