This guide for public officials presents the basic components of effective communication during a crisis. Topics covered include guidance for communicating complex, scientific, or technical information; working with mainstream and social media; and presenting information to the public.

This web page shares examples of messaging that disaster behavioral health programs can use during a disaster, including blogs, public service announcements, program websites, and social media. In addition to tips for writing messages for different methods of communication, the page also has links to examples.

This web page describes types of print materials (e.g., flyers, tip sheets) and how they can be used by disaster behavioral health programs to reach and inform disaster-affected communities.

In this archived hour-long webinar, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Emergency Partners Information Connection provides an overview of crisis communication planning. Based on CDC's Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) program, the webinar presents CERC, explains the importance of planning for effective crisis communication, and highlights key considerations in developing and implementing a crisis communication plan.

This worksheet was prepared to help public health professionals and others to plan responses to common questions from the media and the public during a disaster or other crisis. It also includes a few tips at the start of the worksheet to help keep answers focused and clear.

This document presents overarching guidelines for disaster risk communication, followed by key disaster behavioral health messages officials can use in communicating with the public. Also included are fact sheets that can be used in support of key messages and adapted by disaster behavioral health programs as part of their own communication plans.

This manual describes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) program, an evidence-based framework incorporating best practices for those who are responsible for communications during a disaster or other emergency. The manual introduces CERC; describes the psychological effects of crises; and offers guidance in developing, implementing, and evaluating crisis communication plans.

This guide was developed for policymakers and others responsible for handling communication about a public health emergency, as well as professionals involved in development of risk communication plans. It includes recommendations on integrating emergency risk communication into health and emergency response systems and building trust with emergency-affected populations. The guide is also available in several languages other than English.

This section of the website of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response provides a collection of resources covering disaster communication systems. These resources can be used by professionals to develop messaging and emergency communication plans and strategies.

This document identifies three steps to take in family emergency communication planning: collecting information, sharing information, and practicing the plan as a family.

This toolkit presents an overview of social media platforms, information about developing social media posts, and key communication considerations by phase of disaster. It also shares lessons learned and guidance on developing a social media policy and plan.

This web page provides information for businesses to use to create a crisis communication plan as part of an overall emergency preparedness program. It provides guidance for creating messages for various audiences in an emergency and discusses development of pre-scripted messages during a crisis situation.

This resource was developed to provide guidance to local and national governments on how to effectively communicate with communities in the recovery phase after a disaster or other crisis. It explains principles for effective communication and provides templates to help governments develop communications plans.

In this 2-hour course, public health professionals will learn about common individual and group reactions to disasters, principles of crisis communications, and ways in which communications can support the mental health of the public after a disaster. The course also covers disaster mental health myths likely to appear in media coverage of the disaster and its aftermath.

This section of the website of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response features a collection of resources related to information sharing during disaster response. These resources cover guidance and lessons learned from communication about past public health emergencies, and they include tools to support emergency communication planning.

This report describes the use of social media in emergency preparedness, response, and recovery by governments across the United States and around the world. The report features nine case studies from previous emergencies around the world and highlights ways in which social media can be used to gather information from communities about emergencies, engage communities, and help them better prepare for emergencies.

Mandated by the Homeland Security Act of 2002, the National Emergency Communications Plan was developed to help the nation improve how it communicates during disasters and other emergencies. It establishes goals and objectives with success indicators for the United States and recommends that these objectives be incorporated into federal, state, tribal, territorial, and local plans.

This resource includes a bulleted summary of principles and techniques for effective media communication in a disaster or other emergency. Tips are provided on topics such as accepting the media as a legitimate partner, planning for media interactions, and speaking clearly and with compassion.

In collaboration with the Center for Risk Communication and the Drexel University Center for Public Health Readiness and Communication, the Pennsylvania Department of Health produced a series of videos on risk and crisis communication. The videos are accompanied by materials including checklists, templates, and tip sheets that can help in risk and crisis communication planning and implementation.

This web page describes the importance of risk communication in disaster and emergency situations. It also links to several resources that emergency managers and disaster planners can use to prepare for effective communication during disasters and other public health emergencies.

This resource collection offers an overview of the topic of risk communication surrounding public health emergencies, as well as links to materials including questions and answers about risk communication, online training and publications, and exercises to test national risk communication plans. Real-world examples of risk communication are also provided.

This section of the website of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response describes and provides links to resources related to risk communication. These resources provide information about effective communication as part of disaster and emergency management and response.

In this fact sheet for school psychologists and other school personnel, the National Association of School Psychologists defines social media and describes its use, identifies risks and potential benefits of social media, and notes the need for schools and school districts to develop or understand social media policies and build capacity to work with social media. Links to related resources are provided.

This collection provides resources related to using social media effectively as part of overall emergency management. Disaster behavioral health professionals and emergency managers can use these resources to assist them in communicating with the public via social media and making social media part of disaster preparedness, response, and recovery.

This web page from the Pennsylvania Department of Health has a variety of downloads with social media messages to be used for communications about different kinds of disasters. Downloads include sample messaging for Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, as well as tips for clear and effective messaging.