Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration

Hurricane-Specific Information
Specific Information for Children | For Older Adults | For Persons with Disabilities
General Disaster Response | Compassion Fatigue | Deployment Guidance | Psychological First Aid

Hurricane-Specific Information

Hurricane Preparedness Website
The goal of this website is to inform the public about hurricane hazards and provide knowledge that can be used to take action. This information can be used to save lives at work, at home, on the road, or on the water.
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/intro.shtml

Ready America: Floods
This page includes safety information and other helpful tips on what to do before, during, and after a flood.
http://www.ready.gov/floods

Ready America: Hurricanes
This page includes safety information, hurricane facts, and other helpful tips on what to do before, during, and after a hurricane.
http://www.ready.gov/hurricanes

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Specific Information for Children

National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Hurricane
This website provides valuable information regarding what a hurricane is, as well as how to prepare and recover from a hurricane before and after it hits.
http://www.nctsn.org/trauma-types/natural-disasters/hurricanes 

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For Older Adults

AARP
AARP is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for older adults. AARP promotes positive social change and provides its members with information, advocacy, and services.
http://www.aarp.org 

Administration on Aging
The Administration on Aging provides specific information for older adults and families on a variety of aging-related topics. This website has a helpful section on area agencies in every State.
http://www.eldercare.gov/Eldercare.NET 

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For Persons with Disabilities

Disabled People and Disaster Planning
This website contains many recommendations that were formulated to reduce or eliminate problems with accessibility that many disabled people experience during or following a disaster. The website also includes other information relevant to assisting people with disabilities prepare for and cope with disastrous earthquakes.
http://www.citycent.com/dp2/ 

Disabled World
This website provides a Disability News Service, Articles, and informative Videos related to health and disabilities around the world.
http://www.disabled-world.com/disability/emergency/ 

Disaster Survival Resources
This website provides resources and encouragement for those with special needs to be prepared for disasters, and provides tools that may assist with survival and recovery from disaster.
http://www.disaster-survival-resources.com/special-needs.html 

Individuals with Disabilities, the Elderly and Emergency Management
This website provides information from individual states describing their efforts concerning emergency management and individuals with disabilities and the elderly. Also included is a listing of documents and Internet links from a variety of organizations that provide information on relevant topics.
http://www.idea-em.org/ 

Office of Disability Integration and Coordination (ODIC), Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), U.S. Department of Homeland Security
This website provides information about ODIC's mission, resources, and other news related to FEMA's integration and coordination of emergency preparedness, response and recovery for children and adults with disabilities and others with access and functional needs before, during and after a disaster.
http://www.fema.gov/about/odic/

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General Disaster Response

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
ACF, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is responsible for Federal programs that promote the economic and social well-being of families, children, individuals, and communities.
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The CDC's mission is to collaborate to create the expertise, information, and tools that people and communities need to protect their health; this is accomplished through health promotion; prevention of disease, injury, and disability; and preparedness for new health threats.
http://www.cdc.gov/

CDC—Clinician Outreach and Community Activity (COCA)
COCA has established partnerships with national clinician organizations in order to quickly communicate information on disease outbreaks, terrorism events, and disaster response.
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/coca/

Disaster Distress Helpline
The Disaster Distress Helpline is the Nation's first hotline dedicated to providing disaster crisis counseling. The toll-free helpline operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This free, confidential, and multilingual crisis support service is available via telephone (1-800-985-5990) and SMS (text "TalkWithUs" to 66746) to U.S. residents who are experiencing psychological distress as a result of a natural or human-caused disaster. The helpline’s website provides information on disaster distress in addition to a brochure and wallet card.
http://disasterdistress.samhsa.gov

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
FEMA is the U.S. Government's principal agency charged with building and supporting the nation's emergency management system.
http://www.fema.gov/index.shtm

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
HHS is the U.S. Government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves.
http://www.hhs.gov

U.S. Department of Homeland Security: First Responders
The Department of Homeland Security website for first responders provides a portal that allows Federal, State, local, and tribal first responders to easily access and leverage Federal web services, information on resources, products, standards, testing and evaluation, and best practices in a collaborative environment.
http://www.firstresponder.gov/Pages/Default.aspx

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR)
ASPR serves as the Secretary's principal advisory staff on matters related to bioterrorism and other public health emergencies. It also coordinates interagency activities responsible for emergency preparedness and the protection of the civilian population from acts of bioterrorism and other public health emergencies.
http://www.hhs.gov/aspr/

U.S. Public Health Service Office of Force Readiness and Deployment (OFRD)
OFRD is America's Uniformed Service of Public Health Professionals; the Commissioned Corps achieves its mission through rapid and effective response to public health needs, leadership and excellence in public health practices, and the advancement of public health science.
http://ccrf.hhs.gov/ccrf/

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Compassion Fatigue

The Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project
According to its online mission statement, the Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project promotes "an awareness and understanding of compassion fatigue."
http://www.compassionfatigue.org/pages/mission.html 

Figley Institute
This organization offers in-person workshops and online training courses for those who provide relief to emotionally traumatized individuals and communities. Certification is available, and the website also includes an extensive list of additional resources.
http://www.figleyinstitute.com/indexMain.html 

International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
According to its mission statement, “ISTSS is an international, interdisciplinary professional organization that promotes knowledge about traumatic stress. This knowledge includes: understanding the scope and consequences of traumatic exposure, preventing traumatic events and ameliorating their consequences, and advocating for the field of traumatic stress.”
http://www.istss.org 

Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL)
In use since 1995, the ProQOL is the most commonly used measure of the negative and positive effects of helping others who experience suffering and trauma. The measurement has sub-scales for compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction. The measure has also been translated into 17 different languages.
http://www.proqol.org 

Sidran Institute
The Sidran Institute is a nonprofit organization that develops and delivers trauma-focused resources, teaching tools, training, and consultation focused on traumatic stress education and advocacy.
http://www.sidran.org 

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Deployment Guidance

The Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project
The Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project promotes an awareness and understanding of compassion fatigue.
http://www.compassionfatigue.org/pages/mission.html 

Emergency Wound Management for Healthcare Professionals
The CDC posted this page to advise that the risk for injury during and after a natural disaster is high. Any wound or rash has the potential for becoming infected and should be assessed by a healthcare provider as soon as possible.
http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/emergwoundhcp.asp 

Health Recommendations for Relief Workers Responding to Disasters
This web page provides health advice specific to the needs of relief workers responding to disasters. It was originally intended to address the needs of those going to Haiti, but is applicable to various situations internationally or domestically. Those who provide assistance should pay attention to their mental health needs before, during, and after their work in the field.
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/relief-workers.htm

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Psychological First Aid (PFA)

PFA Competencies for Public Health Workers
This training tool examines the change in public health policies regarding Psychological First Aid after September 11, 2001.
http://www.jhsph.edu/preparedness/training/online/dis_mtl_hlth_comp.html 

National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) PFA Field Operations Guide
NCTSN and the National Center for PTSD use the evidence-informed approach for assisting children, adolescents, adults, and families in the aftermath of disasters and terrorism.
http://www.nctsnet.org/nccts/nav.do?pid=typ_terr_resources_pfa 

PFA Online
According to its online description, PFA Online is an "interactive course that puts the participant in the role of a provider in a post-disaster scene. It features innovative activities, video demonstrations, and mentor tips from the nation's trauma experts and survivors."
http://learn.nctsn.org 

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