TALLAHASSEE, FL. June 13, 2016 – Today the Florida Psychiatric Society issued the following statement from its president, Abbey Strauss, M.D., in reaction to the deadly shooting in Orlando that claimed the lives of 49 people and wounding more than 50.

“The Florida Psychiatric Society unites with all who are deeply shaken, and is profoundly saddened, by the appalling violence in Orlando. The first order is to offer our unyielding sympathy to the family and friends of the victims. Such violence can never be accepted nor condoned without accountability in our society.

Also, we are pleased to see the immediate response that many Orlando-based and nearby organizations have initiated to help those in both physical and psychological need. We implore that this help be expanded to more than the immediate victims and their families, and include the many non-direct victims, both in Central Florida and elsewhere, who may become fearful of random violence. We should also be particularly concerned that many children or even other adults may harbor fears, and that they will quietly suffer without seeking help. Because of this, we request that schools, churches, governmental agencies, other service organizations, and members of the mental health community avail themselves or allocate extra funding to provide mental health care to treat all these victims.  

We join the American Psychiatric Association in their opposition against any bias-related incidents, be they against differences in gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or race. The Florida Psychiatric Society knows there are often considerable barriers to mental health care following trauma and recognizes the need to revise our systems accordingly in order to be of greatest assistance.”

The Florida Psychiatric Society is the professional association committed to continuously improving the ability of its more than 1,200 psychiatrist members to provide quality treatment for persons with mental illnesses.  

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