Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration

On this page the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Disaster Technical Assistance Center (DTAC) presents information on disaster behavioral health (DBH) online trainings (web-based courses), field events (DBH conferences, including meetings, workshops, and conventions), and webcasts (SAMHSA DTAC and non-SAMHSA DATC media presentations on DBH topics). If you would like to add an event to our Education and Training listing, please contact SAMHSA DTAC.

• Webcasts
• Online Training Sites
• Field Events

Webcasts

Promising Practices in Disaster Behavioral Health Planning Webinar Series
From June to August 2011, SAMHSA DTAC held the Promising Practices in Disaster Behavioral Health Planning webinar series that consisted of nine webinars addressing promising practices in integrated mental health and substance abuse DBH planning. These webinars are meant to assist State and Territory disaster behavioral health coordinators, disaster mental health coordinators, and disaster substance abuse coordinators, as well as emergency management/behavioral health coordinators for Tribes, with the development and implementation of their DBH plans. The webinars have been recorded and are currently available for viewing. View archived webinars.

SAMHSA DTAC encourages all States, Territories, and Tribes to view the recorded webinars. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Terri Spear (Emergency Coordinator, SAMHSA/Office of Policy, Planning and Innovation/Division of Policy Innovation) at 240-276-2244 or Terri.Spear@SAMHSA.hhs.gov or Dr. Amy Mack (SAMHSA DTAC Project Director) at 240-744-7090 or amack@icfi.com.

Building Awareness of Disaster Behavioral Health Webinar Series
In July and August 2011, SAMHSA DTAC held the Building Awareness of Disaster Behavioral Health webinar series to educate participants about the mental health, substance abuse, and stress management needs of people who have been exposed to human-caused, natural, or technological disasters. The webinars also help to build awareness about preparedness and response efforts in this area. The content of the webinars can be utilized by mental and non-mental health professionals who are involved in emergency management/disaster response and interested in learning more about mental health and substance abuse issues. The webinars featured nationally known mental health and substance abuse experts, as well as representatives from the fields of public health and emergency management. The webinars have been recorded and are currently available for viewing. View archived webinars.

Non SAMHSA DTAC Webcasts

Topic	Date / Time Aired
State of All Hazards Preparedness for Children: Partnerships and Models for Merging Emergency Department and Disaster Preparedness Efforts Nationwide This webcast by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau within the Health Resources and Services Administration features resources and tools for pediatric disaster planning, lessons learned from the H1N1 pandemic, and perspectives from national stakeholders and partners in planning. This webcast has been archived at http://www.mchcom.com/archivedWebcastDetail.asp?aeid=515.	March 24, 2010 1–2:30 p.m. eastern time (ET)
Psychological First Aid: The Role of Medical Reserve Corps Volunteers in Disaster Response This National Association of County & City Health Officials (NACCHO) webcast provides an overview of the disaster mental health field and Psychological First Aid. This webcast has been archived at http://webcasts.naccho.org/session-archived.php?id=823	September 11, 2007 3 p.m. ET
Integrating All-Hazards Preparedness with Public Health According to its online description, this NACCHO webcast “features four demonstration sites that integrate all-hazards preparedness into their traditional public health activities.” This webcast has been archived at http://webcasts.naccho.org/session-archived.php?id=684.	May 24, 2007 2 p.m. ET
Planning for Pandemic Influenza: Issues and Best Practices According to its online description, this webcast by NACCHO features discussions of “local challenges relating to vaccine distribution, isolation and quarantine, risk communication, hospital and personnel surge capacity, and community engagement.” This webcast has been archived at http://webcasts.naccho.org/session-archived.php?id=505.	January 23, 2007 2 p.m. ET

Online Training Sites

Early Responders Distance Learning Center
The Early Responders Distance Learning Center created and administers accredited courses for the emergency response community on preparing and responding to terrorist incidents with a specialized focus on psychological consequences.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Online Courses
FEMA offers free independent study courses that can be completed for continuing education units. Courses cover topics such as emergency preparedness, developing and managing volunteers, and the Incident Command System.

John Hopkins Public Health Preparedness Programs: Mental Health Preparedness Trainings
The John Hopkins Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Center has developed a variety of mental health preparedness trainings that are available online:

• Disaster Mental Health Intervention
• Disaster Mental Health Planning
• Introduction to Mental Health and Disaster Preparedness
• Mental Health Consequences of Disaster
• Psychological First Aid Competencies for Public Health Workers
• Psychology and Crisis Response
• Psychology of Terrorism
• Roots of Terrorism
• Self-Care

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) Psychological First Aid (PFA) Online Course
The NCTSN Learning Center is an online training center geared toward professionals and families seeking to learn more about child traumatic stress. Many resources specifically focus on disaster-related trauma and grief. The NCTSN Learning Center also features the PFA 6-hour interactive course in which the student plays the role of a provider working in a scene after a disaster. According to the online course description, “This professionally narrated course is for individuals who are new to disaster response and want to learn the core goals of PFA, as well as for seasoned practitioners who want a review. It features innovative activities, video demonstrations, and mentor tips from the nation’s trauma experts and survivors. PFA Online also offers a Learning Community where participants can share experiences of using PFA in the field, receive guidance during times of disaster, and obtain additional resources and training.”

University of North Carolina (UNC) Center for Public Health Preparedness Training Web Site
According to this site, it “offers free Internet-based trainings developed by the UNC Center for Public Health Preparedness (CPHP) on public health preparedness topics such as disease surveillance, basic epidemiology, bioterrorism, and new/emerging disease agents.” Trainings also cover diverse populations and disaster planning, response, and recovery.

Field Events

15th Annual Emergency Management Higher Education Conference
http://www.training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/edu/educonference12.asp
June 4–7, 2012; Emmitsburg, MD
The purpose of this conference is to encourage and support the dissemination of hazard-, disaster-, and emergency management–related information in colleges and universities across the United States with the goal of promoting more college-based emergency management education.

The College on Problems of Drug Dependence 74th Annual Meeting
http://www.cpdd.vcu.edu/
June 9–14, 2012; Palm Springs, CA
According to the College on Problems of Drug Dependence’s website, this conference will include workshops on the following topics:

• Epidemiology and public health research methods workshop
• Non-medical prescription drug use among ED and trauma patients
• 18th Annual Contingency Management Working Group
• Trauma-informed care for adolescents with co-occurring trauma and substance use disorders: interventions and treatment outcomes with diverse adolescents

World Conference on Disaster Management
http://www.narmh.org/conferences/2012/default.aspx
June 25–27, 2012; Toronto, Ontario, Canada
This conference is designed for those in emergency management, risk management, health and safety management, public health, information technology related to disaster recovery, military, and other related disaster management disciplines. Attendees will discuss innovations in the disaster and crisis response field, challenges in creating a resilient culture, and pilot programs that offer lessons applicable to future disaster preparation.

National Association of County & City Health Officials (NACCHO) Annual 2012
http://www.nacchoannual.org/
July 11–13, 2012; Los Angeles, CA
The purpose of the NACCHO Annual 2012 conference is to provide an opportunity for local health officials to discuss building disaster resilience for communities; responding to public health emergencies; preventing, controlling, and treating chronic disease, and providing assistance to local health departments that have limited resources.

Training Institutes 2012—Improving Children’s Mental Health Care in an Era of Change, Challenge, and Innovation: The Role of the System of Care Approach
http://gucchd.georgetown.edu/training/88504.html
July 25–29, 2012; Orlando, FL
This conference is designed for professionals at the State, tribal, territorial, and local levels to learn how to improve mental health services for children and families.

120th Annual Convention of American Psychological Association
http://www.apa.org/convention/index.aspx
August 2–5, 2012; Orlando, FL
This convention will feature internationally known presenters and the latest research findings in the field of psychology.

Fourth International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC Davos 2012: Integrative Risk Management in a Changing World—Pathways to a Resilient Society
http://www.idrc.info/">
August 26–30, 2012; Davos, Switzerland
This conference will cover topics in risk reduction and disaster management, emergency risks, urban risks, health risks, ethics, and other disaster-related risk management topics.

National Emergency Management Association 2012 Emergency Management Policy & Leadership Forum
http://www.narmh.org/conferences/2012/default.aspx
October 5–10, 2012; TBD
The purpose of this conference is to provide a forum where experts in the field of emergency management can discuss emergency management concerns, policy development, and legislative issues.

Third Western Conference on Behavioral Health and Addictive Disorders
http://www.narmh.org/conferences/2012/default.aspx
October 11–13, 2012; Newport Beach, CA
This conference will provide a forum to explore the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual dimensions of mental illness and addictive disorders.

International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM)-USA 60th Annual Conference
http://www.narmh.org/conferences/2012/default.aspx
October 26–November 1, 2012; Orlando, FL
The IAEM-USA Annual Conference will provide training workshops and breakout conference sessions on the conference theme “Resiliency: Building a Better Tomorrow” and will focus on the following topics:

• Long-term recovery and mitigation
• Mission continuity
• Emerging technologies
• Case studies
• Partners in practice—emergency management community

American Public Health Association 140th Annual Meeting and Exposition
http://www.narmh.org/conferences/2012/default.aspx
October 27–31, 2012; San Francisco, CA
The purpose of this conference is to unite the public health community in order to enhance their knowledge and support exchange of information on best practices, latest research, and new trends in public health.

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Last updated 4/20/2012