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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. Nothing in these other than SAMHSA resources constitutes a direct or indirect endorsement by SAMHSA or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services of any non-federal entity’s products, services, or policies.
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This booklet tells the story of Trinka and Sam, two young mice who are friends and neighbors who survive a wildfire. The booklet covers effects a wildfire can have on a community, as well as the emotions and behaviors children may display after a wildfire.
This booklet tells the story of Trinka and Sam, two young mice who are friends and neighbors who survive a wildfire. The booklet covers effects a wildfire can have on a community, as well as the emotions and behaviors children may display after a wildfire.
This story was developed to help young children and their families talk about feelings and worries they may have after they have experienced an earthquake. The story describes children's reactions and talks about how their parents help them to express their emotions and feel safer. In the back of the booklet, there is a parents' guide that suggests ways that parents can use the story with their children.
This story was developed to help young children and their families talk about feelings and worries they may have after they have experienced an earthquake. The story describes children's reactions and talks about how their parents help them to express their emotions and feel safer. In the back of the booklet, there is a parents' guide that suggests ways that parents can use the story with their children.
This story was developed to help young children and their families talk about feelings and worries they may have after they have experienced an earthquake. The story describes children's reactions and talks about how their parents help them to express their emotions and feel safer. In the back of the booklet, there is a parents' guide that suggests ways that parents can use the story with their children.
This story was developed to help young children and their families talk about feelings and worries they may have after they have experienced an earthquake. The story describes children's reactions and talks about how their parents help them to express their emotions and feel safer. In the back of the booklet, there is a parents' guide that suggests ways that parents can use the story with their children.
This story was developed to help young children and their families talk about feelings and worries they may have after they have experienced an earthquake. The story describes children's reactions and talks about how their parents help them to express their emotions and feel safer. In the back of the booklet, there is a parents' guide that suggests ways that parents can use the story with their children.
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry offers several library resource collections addressing such topics as disasters, anti-racism, and guns and violence. The Asian American and Pacific Islander Resource Library provides downloadable and linked resources providing guidance and support for parents, caregivers, educators, and community members talking with children and youth about race and racism.
To support caregivers or others tending to children, this web page from SAMHSA explains the effects of traumatic events—such as natural disasters or community violence—on children. It provides a breakdown of possible reactions shown by children of different ages as well as tips for supporting children who have experienced traumatic stress.
This video features Dr. Paramjit Joshi, Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, DC, who offers guidance for teachers and counselors in supporting children in processing and coping after a school shooting or other traumatic event.
Ready is a national campaign designed to educate Americans and help them prepare for and respond to emergencies, including natural and human-caused disasters. This section of the Ready website features information and games for children, family preparedness tools for parents and other caregivers, and tools and a curriculum for teachers to make schools safer and educate children and teens about emergency preparedness.
This story was developed to help young children and their families talk about feelings and worries they may have after they have experienced an earthquake. The story describes children's reactions and talks about how their parents help them to express their emotions and feel safer. In the back of the booklet, there is a parents' guide that suggests ways that parents can use the story with their children.
This web page offers tips for people with anxiety and depressive disorders to prepare for natural disasters, as well as tips for what to do after disasters occur. It also includes signs and symptoms of prolonged anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder, as well as information for helping children recover from disasters.
This tip sheet lists reactions to stress that are common among children and that caregivers, parents, and teachers may see during and after an infectious disease outbreak. It also suggests ways that adults can help children manage stress.
The CDC earthquake page contains helpful information and resources on earthquake preparedness, surviving during an earthquake, and what happens after an earthquake.
This resource is for parents and other caregivers to help children (preschool through high school) to build resilience. It includes practical steps for managing stress and uncertainty.
These fact sheets from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network discuss challenging financial circumstances and economic hardships that can negatively affect youth, families, and communities. The series offers practical ways to address the challenges during economic hardships by improving a sense of safety, calming, self- and community efficacy, connectedness, and hope.
This research brief provides recommendations and resources for supporting children during the COVID-19 pandemic. It explains possible reactions, highlights the importance of a responsive caregiver, and provides tips for self-care for adults and youth. While this brief was created during the COVID-19 pandemic, it includes information that will be helpful in the event of future pandemics.
This tip sheet lists reactions to stress that are common among children and that caregivers, parents, and teachers may see during and after an infectious disease outbreak. It also suggests ways that adults can help children manage stress.
At this part of its website, AACAP provides an overview of the topic of disasters and how they affect children, and how parents can offer support, and then presents links to fact sheets, answers to parents' frequently asked questions, and policies and articles for clinicians. The webpage also features information and links for finding help for a child or adolescent struggling with his or her disaster reactions.
In this online article, the American Psychological Association provides recommendations for parents for talking with their children after a shooting. It provides tips and strategies for helping children manage their distress, and suggests that parents also engage in self-care activities so they can effectively support their children in coping.
This booklet tells the story of Trinka and Sam, two young mice who are friends and neighbors who survive a wildfire. The booklet covers effects a wildfire can have on a community, as well as the emotions and behaviors children may display after a wildfire.
This booklet tells the story of Trinka and Sam, two young mice who are friends and neighbors who survive a wildfire. The booklet covers effects a wildfire can have on a community, as well as the emotions and behaviors children may display after a wildfire.
This children's book was developed to help young children and their families talk about feelings and worries they have after experiencing a hurricane. The story describes children's reactions and talks about how their parents help them to express their emotions and feel safer. In the back of the booklet, there is a parents' guide that suggests ways that parents can use the story with their children.