An official website of the United States government
Here’s how you know
Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A
lock (
) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
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 article reports on research reviewing findings of 128 studies from around the world on extreme weather and disasters linked to with climate change and impacts on mental health. Researchers found extreme weather increased the likelihood of posttraumatic stress disorder and other mental disorders and that factors linked to climate change increased risk of mental disorders.
This article examines the vulnerability of Latinx adults to bias-motivated victimization and the lack of research on the impact and help-seeking behaviors in such cases. The article further suggests the need to address barriers that prevent Latinx bias victims from seeking help.
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.
In this article, researchers describe their work to involve children in emergency management to ensure culturally sensitive disaster programming and better policy. They describe how they have involved children of many cultures in creative projects, which were used to convey key insights to policymakers and inform more culturally aware and sensitive policy development.
This article describes research on the process and effects of merging, after Hurricane Sandy, of substance use disorder treatment programs in New York City to ensure continuity of care. Investigators interviewed healthcare practitioners in the programs to understand challenges and measures they took that proved successful in terms of patient retention and both patient and staff health and well-being following the hurricane.
This journal article explores the issues that occur when medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder is disrupted by a disaster. Through interviews with health professionals and emergency managers, it identifies the elements that should be included in disaster planning in relation to medication-assisted treatment.
This paper describes a survey of nearly 90 patients in a program in New York City for treatment of dependence on opioids when Hurricane Sandy struck the area.
This study investigated experiences of people in a treatment program for dependence on opioids (e.g., heroin, Vicodin, OxyContin) in New York City around the time of Hurricane Sandy. Findings highlight how programs and individuals can and do adapt during hurricanes and other disasters to ensure ongoing management of addictions.