Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration

Organizations Working with Disaster Responders
Disaster Response Professions:
General Disaster Response | Emergency Medical Services | Firefighters | Law Enforcement

Organizations Working with Disaster Responders

American Association of Suicidology
The American Association of Suicidology promotes suicide prevention and intervention research, public awareness programs, public education, and training for professionals, volunteers, and suicide survivors. This website offers an online directory of suicide survivor support groups.
http://www.suicidology.org

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP)
This website offers an online directory of suicide survivor support groups. AFSP has partnered with the National Institute of Mental Health to participate in a workshop addressing research on survivors of suicide, including the role of first responders in working with survivors.
http://www.afsp.org

American Psychological Association (APA) Disaster Response Network (DRN)
The APA is a scientific and professional organization that represents psychology in the United States. According to its online description, the APA DRN is "a group of approximately 2,500 licensed psychologists with training in disaster response who offer volunteer assistance to disaster responders and survivors in the aftermath of disasters."
http://www.apapracticecentral.org/outreach/disaster/index.aspx

Headington Institute
The Headington Institute offers a variety of training workshops, educational materials, and counseling and consulting services for humanitarian relief and development workers. Its mission (as written at its website) is "to care for caregivers worldwide by promoting the physical hardiness, emotional resilience, and spiritual vitality of humanitarian relief and development personnel."
http://www.headington-institute.org

International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
The International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies promotes advancement and exchange of knowledge about severe stress and trauma. 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

National Association for Search and Rescue
The National Association for Search and Rescue has dedicated itself to making sure those involved in search and rescue are both well equipped and well trained.
http://www.nasar.org

National Center for PTSD
The National Center for PTSD website is an educational resource of the Center, which is part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. It contains the current edition of the Psychological First Aid Field Operations Guide, an essential tool for helping disaster survivors; resources for responding to disasters; and responder stress management information.
http://www.ptsd.va.gov

National Coalition of Public Safety Officers
The National Coalition of Public Safety Officers is a division of the Communications Workers of America Union that focuses on giving public safety workers a voice by facilitating legislation, organizing, and providing national trainings.
http://www.ncpso.com

The National Disaster Interfaiths Network (NDIN)
The NDIN is a national network of disaster interfaith organizations working together to reduce disaster-caused human suffering through the exchange of information and cooperative support.
http://www.n-din.org/

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

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Disaster Response Professions:

General Disaster Response

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

EHS Today—The Magazine for Environment, Health, and Safety Leaders
This website is an information resource for public and private leaders involved in the coordinated effort needed to enhance security, ensure domestic preparedness, and respond to emergencies. It includes news, events, and an e-newsletter.
http://ehstoday.com/fire_emergencyresponse

National Institute of Mental Health: Men and Depression
In addition to providing information about depression, this website includes recorded stories told by men struggling with depression. Public safety workers are prominently featured in this campaign.
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/men-and-depression/index.shtml

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Emergency Medical Services

Journal of Emergency Medical Services
This website offers information for pre-hospital patient care, providing resources for EMS personnel to help them do their jobs better and more safely, including news, training, educational articles, and recent issues of EMS-focused magazines.
http://www.jems.com

National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians
The mission of the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians is to expand EMS knowledge and education, enhance professional development, and advance the cause of EMS through advocacy and research.
http://www.naemt.org

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Firefighters

Everyone Goes Home—Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives Program Initiative 13
A national program of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, this website provides firefighter life safety initiative tools and resources. Initiative 13 focuses on psychological support.
http://flsi13.everyonegoeshome.com

International Association of Fire Fighters
This is the official website of the International Association of Fire Fighters. The association represents firefighters in the United States and Canada.
http://www.iaff.org

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
This is the official website of the NFPA. The website’s “About NFPA” page describes the association as “the world’s leading advocate of fire prevention and an authoritative source on public safety” and notes that the NFPA “disseminates more than 300 consensus codes and standards intended to minimize the possibility and effects of fire and other risks.”
http://www.nfpa.org

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Law Enforcement

Counter-Terrorism Training Resources
This website contains counterterrorism training opportunities and related materials for the law enforcement and disaster responder communities.
https://www.bja.gov/About/CTresources.html

Police Families
This website identifies its purpose as “to provide law enforcement families and underserved law enforcement communities with essential psychological information and improved access to family support services.”
http://www.policefamilies.com

Tears of a Cop
This website is designed to promote awareness of the epidemic of law enforcement posttraumatic stress disorder and suicide.
http://www.tearsofacop.com

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Last updated 04/30/2013