The mission of the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, according to its website, is to provide leadership, education, training, consultation, and support services in comprehensive Intervention and disaster behavioral health services to the emergency response professions, other organizations, and communities worldwide.

ISTSS 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.

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program educates and equips local teams to support their communities in and after disasters, providing services such as light search and rescue and disaster medical operations. This 6-hour course is designed to prepare individuals for a classroom-based CERT Basic Training course in their area, which is required before they can serve as CERT volunteers.

The Johns Hopkins Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Center has developed a variety of mental health preparedness trainings that are available online.

This document was created for parents and other caregivers to help them understand what their child may go through after a disaster, and it offers ways to help children following disasters. Basics are taught, and space is provided to write down a child’s answers to questions and behavior, as well as to come up with ways to support a child in feeling better and coping. [Authors: Schreiber, M., and Gurwitch, R.]

This article reviews advances that have been made in research and experience after 9/11 that have led to the development of evidence-based and evidence-informed guidelines and strategies to support the design and implementation of public mental health programs after terrorism and disaster. [Authors: Watson, P.J., Brymer, M. J., and Bonanno, G. A.]

The National Medical Reserve Corps Mental Health Work Group recommends PFA as a standard model of mental health intervention in early response to disasters and other traumatic events.

This adaptation of the guide gives community religious professionals an introduction and overview to PFA, described as an evidence-informed approach for assisting children, adolescents, adults, and families in the aftermath of disaster and terrorism. The manual also provides information on core actions of PFA that community religious professionals can use following a disaster.

This publication reports on the Listen, Protect, Connect—Model and Teach strategy, an adaptation of PFA for schools by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. PFA is an evidence-informed, modular approach anyone can use to assist disaster survivors in meeting their needs and accessing resilience. The publication also reviews the type of training school staff members need to use PFA effectively.

This adaptation of the psychological first aid model is designed to be used when working with youth who are experiencing homelessness. The guide provides a framework and a model for direct care staff working in drop-in centers, emergency and transitional shelters, and group homes so they can better understand and address the needs of homeless youth who are often impacted by trauma.

This toolkit equips high schools and their districts with strategies to prevent suicide and support the mental health of their students. The toolkit covers helping students who are at risk, responding to a suicide in a school, training staff, and conducting outreach to parents.

This guide provides the details of the psychological first aid model, which uses an evidence-informed approach for assisting children, adolescents, adults, and families in the aftermath of disaster and terrorism.

This guide provides an adaptation of the psychological first aid model that shelter providers can use when working with families experiencing homelessness.

Designed for nursing homes, assisted living facilities, independent living facilities, and continuing care retirement communities, this toolkit contains a suite of resources with information about mental health and suicide prevention. It includes a manager’s guide, fact sheets for residents, and hands-on training tools for professional staff and family members.

The guide was adapted from the Psychological First Aid Operations Guide (2nd Edition), with permission from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network and the National Center for PTSD.

This webpage provides information on Prolonged Exposure therapy, which is a model designed to decrease distress from trauma.

This paper offers a statistical review of CISM [critical incident stress management] as an integrated multicomponent Intervention system. [Authors: Rose, S.C., Bisson, J., Churchchill, R., and Wessely, S.]

QPR is a suicide prevention training for participants to be able to recognize the warning signs of suicide and question, persuade, and refer people at risk for suicide for help.

This tip sheet discusses the mental health effects of drought on rural populations, how to recognize stress and depression, and suicide warning signs.

This website provides information on Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), including what it is, the research and evidence for MHFA, its impact, and information on how to become certified.

A comprehensive compilation of mental health first aid guidelines, including tips for helping adults and children through a disaster or traumatic event.

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available by simply dialing 988, is a 24-hour, toll-free, confidential suicide prevention helpline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. When someone calls the helpline, his or her call is routed to the nearest crisis center. The Lifeline’s national network, consisting of more than 250 local crisis centers, provides crisis counseling and mental health referrals day and night.

The Mental Health First Aid program, according to its website, risk factors and warning signs for mental health and addiction concerns, strategies for how to help someone both in crisis and non-crisis situations, and where to turn for help.

This review article discusses the evidence for the effectiveness of psychological interventions within the first month following any type of traumatic event. [Authors: McNally, R. J., Bryant, R. A., Ehlers, A.]

This website provides an overview of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program and a searchable database to find local CERT programs. Recognizing the importance of preparing citizens, the Federal Emergency Management Agency partnered with the National Fire Academy to expand the CERT materials and made them applicable to all hazards.