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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.
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.
This web page explores the impacts working with disaster survivors may have on rescue workers, volunteers, healthcare professionals, and journalists and provides strategies for resilience and self-care. It explores tips for avoiding retraumatization of people receiving services and discusses the importance of professional wellness, noting possibilities for burnout, compassion fatigue, and vicarious traumatization.
This web page shares messaging templates that disaster behavioral health programs can use during a disaster in formats 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. The page features templates programs can download and customize to share information about their services.
This web page from the SAMHSA Tribal Training and Technical Assistance Center provides resources that American Indian and Alaska Native communities can use to strengthen suicide prevention efforts. It links to a number of fact sheets, toolkits, research articles, and organizations.
This playlist from the Capacity Building Center for Tribes includes five recorded webinars focused on tribal trauma and resilience. Each webinar focuses on different factors that affect tribal mental and behavioral health, including protective community factors, historic trauma, trauma-informed child welfare, and secondary traumatic stress.
This web page lists information about the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, provides a 988 partner toolkit, and includes data on suicide and prevention resources. It also features links to partner organizations.
This comprehensive chart shows screening and assessment tools for alcohol and drug misuse. Tools are categorized by substance type, audience for screening, and administrator. The chart also provides other assessment tools that may be useful for providers doing substance use work.
This guideline is designed to support clinicians in caring for adult outpatients with pain, including clinicians incorporating opioids into pain treatment. The guideline encompasses recommendations for management of pain ranging from acute to longer-term (chronic). It offers guidance for clinicians in deciding whether to start opioid treatment for pain, choosing opioids and determining dosages, and managing risk.
This web page provides an overview of the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children and the risk factors that may make it more likely for children to develop PTSD. It also describes the signs of PTSD in children and adolescents and different techniques to treat PTSD.
This website provides information on Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment, which it describes as "an approach to the delivery of early intervention and treatment to people with substance use disorders and those at risk of developing these disorders."
This web page from the American Psychological Association provides a summary about trauma and its effects, and features related resources that explore the impact of traumatic events on the mental and physical health of individuals and communities. It includes links to articles, podcasts, and other resources that explore traumatic stress in response to disaster events and evidence-based practices for healthcare service professionals.
This web page focuses on SAMHSA's National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative, which aims to improve treatment and services for youth and families who have experienced traumatic events. It explores childhood trauma and links to resources for parents and caregivers, educators, health professionals, and more.
This web page highlights resources that explore incidents of gun violence. It includes relevant books for adults and children, podcast episodes, news articles, and other resources that highlight strategies for coping with acts of terror, planning for emergencies, and building resilience.
This web page provides an overview of disasters, how they affect children, and how parents can offer support. It presents links to fact sheets, answers to parents' frequently asked questions, and policies and articles for clinicians. The web page also features information and links for finding help for a child or adolescent struggling with his or her disaster reactions.
This article from the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health proposes a trauma-informed approach for healthcare practitioners unfamiliar with the effects disasters and trauma can have on individuals and communities. The resource prioritizes the needs of individuals affected by disasters and coping with traumatic stress to advise healthcare practices and avoid retraumatization.
The mission of the Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, according to its website, is "to promote[s] state-of-the-science traumatic brain injury care from point-of-injury to reintegration for service members, veterans, and their families to prevent and mitigate consequences of mild to severe TBI [traumatic brain injury]."
The American Psychological Association provides an overview of disasters and their mental health impacts and presents links to articles on the impacts of a range of types of disasters. Also provided are links to news articles and related publications by the American Psychological Association.
This part of the website of the National Center for PTSD features materials for professionals to help them in working with older adults with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), one possible consequence of disaster experiences. Resources include online information and courses about PTSD in older adults, PTSD that is co-occurring with other conditions that may arise in older adults, and prescribing practices for older veterans with PTSD.
Provided by the SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline, this web page gives an overview of the effects droughts may have. It lists the signs of emotional distress related to drought and who may be most at risk of experiencing them. Lastly, it provides resources and information on where to get help.
FEMA implements the CCP as a supplemental assistance program available to states, U.S. territories, and federally recognized tribes after a Presidential disaster declaration that includes Individual Assistance. After the award of this grant, the state, territory, or tribe works with contracted provider agencies to hire and train crisis counselors to conduct outreach in the affected areas.
This SAMHSA wallet card highlights warning signs of psychological stress that individuals may experience following a disaster. It also provides contact information for individuals to call (1-800-985-5990) or text ("TalkWithUs" to 66746) the SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline for support. Response workers can provide it to survivors who they think may benefit from additional support in coping with a disaster.
This part of the CDC's website presents an overview of hurricanes, as well as suggestions for preparing for a hurricane and staying safe after a hurricane. This website section also includes links to materials for families, health and mental health professionals, and other disaster responders.
Noting the prevalence of suicide and substance misuse in American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth, this resource from the Education Development Center highlights the possibility of promoting protective factors in AI/AN communities to support prevention. It includes examples of positive AI/AN youth development programs and explores unique community factors that can protect against suicide and alcohol misuse.
This tip sheet explores the signs and symptoms of stress and compassion fatigue experienced by individuals providing healthcare services. It highlights the importance of self-care and stress management and provides tips for staff and team leads to address stress and compassion fatigue.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers numerous resources related to disasters and pregnant women and women with newborns as well as older women to offer guidance to health, mental health, and public health officials.