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Disaster Behavioral Health Information Series Resource Center
The SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center (DTAC) provides various resources and useful information for those in the disaster behavioral health field.
All resources for which links are provided are in the public domain or have been authorized for noncommercial use. Hardcopies of some materials may be ordered. If you use content from resources in this collection in program materials, you should acknowledge the source of the materials.
Did you know you can download your search results? Simply apply search filters and then click on the Download Filtered Resources link to obtain a .csv file with the resources you have found, including each resource’s name, description, date, URL, and source.
Funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and administered by SAMHSA, the CCP is a supplemental grant program to help states, territories, and federally recognized tribes affected by major disasters to address the mental health and substance use-related needs of their residents. This web page details trainings for staff employed by FEMA and SAMHSA’s CCP.
This online course offers approaches first responders can use to maximize safety in scenes where an individual is in mental illness- or substance use-related crisis. The 1.5-hour course covers mental and substance use disorders, as well as de-escalation techniques.
This free, 1-hour online course for fire and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel provides information on stressors and behavioral health issues and conditions that are more common in fire and EMS. It also covers techniques for healthy coping and stress management. The course is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Pre-hospital Continuing Education for continuing education credit.
Designed for law enforcement officers, this free online course describes common stressors in the line of duty and identifies ways to manage stress. The course highlights signs and symptoms of stress, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and suicidal thoughts that law enforcement officers may notice in themselves or their coworkers. It also provides information on where and how to seek additional help.
This web page features a compilation of resources that explore individual and community health disparities and tools for improving healthcare access for affected populations. It includes background information regarding systemic racism and health inequities and provides resources that offer best practices for providing accessible and competent care.
This web page explores behavioral health equity and its importance in reducing health disparities and promoting the provision of high-quality healthcare services for all. It features several populations of focus, including American Indians/Alaska Natives, Blacks/African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, and more, to emphasize the need for equitable and accessible health care.
Through this center, SAMHSA provides training and technical assistance to American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities, tribal SAMHSA grantees, and individuals and organizations who work with AI/AN people. Topics include mental health promotion, suicide prevention, and mental and substance use disorders. The center’s website provides information and links to print materials, websites, and webinars.
This fact sheet highlights the prevalence of suicide among Black and African American communities. It includes information regarding the impact of historical trauma and COVID-19 on mental health, the role of stigma in African American communities, and lack of access to mental health services. Resources to promote mental well-being are also provided.
This 1-hour course offers an overview of how disaster affects children and adolescents and emphasizes skills such as administering Psychological First Aid to children and screening them for mental disorders. The course is provided through Prepare Iowa, a partnership of the Iowa Department of Public Health and the University of Iowa. To access this course, users must create an account through Prepare Iowa’s training platform.
This article highlights a 2021 study that explored the public health impact of anti-Black or racial violence. It describes the study’s findings, which showed that African Americans experience poor mental health in the short term after experiencing or observing anti-Black violence.
Provided through Prepare Iowa, a collaboration of the Iowa Department of Health and the University of Iowa, this 1-hour course is intended for anyone who may come into professional contact with disaster victims. The course defines and describes disaster and trauma and explains how proximity to a disaster affects potential for a traumatic response. To access this course, users must create an account through Prepare Iowa’s training platform.
Designed for mental health professionals, this course features a therapeutic encounter between a transgender teenager and a mental health professional in which they discuss difficulties the youth has faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The course follows the presentation with a reflection on the encounter, as well as a post-presentation and evaluation test. To complete the course, users must create an account with the NCTSN Learning Center.
Disasters and traumatic events have great effects on mental and emotional health, which can cause feelings of stress, anxiety, and worry during and after. This web page explores self-care strategies that can be used while coping with the effects of a disaster to help survivors build resilience and manage stress.
Created for emergency healthcare professionals, this blog post from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement highlights how trauma-informed care can benefit both providers and recipients of emergency health services. It considers the needs and challenges of behavioral health emergencies to provide examples of how investment in trauma-informed training and care can support positive patient outcomes and staff safety.
Disasters and traumatic events have great effects on mental and emotional health, which can cause feelings of stress, anxiety, and worry during and after. This web page explores self-care strategies that can be used while coping with the effects of a disaster to help survivors build resilience and manage stress.
This resource explains complex trauma that may be experienced in urban African American children, youth, and families. It highlights possible experiences with structural violence, racism, and other complex traumas to explore challenges and barriers to receiving mental health services.
Appropriate for public health professionals, nurses, program managers, administrative employees, and first responders, this 1-hour course prepares people to support disaster survivors in crisis in meeting their emotional needs. The course covers models of crisis management and steps responders can take in engaging survivors and helping them with meeting their needs and coping after a disaster.
This fact sheet provides disaster survivors with strategies for evaluating and managing their emotional health and disaster reactions. It provides information on possible reactions, steps for coping, and guidance for seeking additional support.
This fact sheet provides disaster survivors with strategies for evaluating and managing their emotional health and disaster reactions. It provides information on possible reactions, steps for coping, and guidance for seeking additional support.
This fact sheet provides disaster survivors with strategies for evaluating and managing their emotional health and disaster reactions. It provides information on possible reactions, steps for coping, and guidance for seeking additional support.
This fact sheet provides disaster survivors with strategies for evaluating and managing their emotional health and disaster reactions. It provides information on possible reactions, steps for coping, and guidance for seeking additional support.
This fact sheet provides disaster survivors with strategies for evaluating and managing their emotional health and disaster reactions. It provides information on possible reactions, steps for coping, and guidance for seeking additional support.
This fact sheet provides disaster survivors with strategies for evaluating and managing their emotional health and disaster reactions. It provides information on possible reactions, steps for coping, and guidance for seeking additional support.
This fact sheet provides disaster survivors with strategies for evaluating and managing their emotional health and disaster reactions. It provides information on possible reactions, steps for coping, and guidance for seeking additional support.
This fact sheet provides disaster survivors with strategies for evaluating and managing their emotional health and disaster reactions. It provides information on possible reactions, steps for coping, and guidance for seeking additional support.