Disaster Behavioral Health Resources
DTAC resources provide helpful information to professionals in the disaster behavioral health field.
SAMHSA Disaster Behavioral Health Information Series (DBHIS)
The SAMHSA DBHIS contains resources and toolkits in disaster behavioral health. Resources focus on specific populations, disaster types, or other topics pertinent to disaster behavioral health preparedness, response, and recovery.
The Dialogue
The Dialogue is a quarterly electronic newsletter that provides practical and down-to-earth information for disaster behavioral health coordinators, local service providers, federal agencies, and nongovernmental organizations.
To volunteer to author an article for an upcoming issue, please email SAMHSA DTAC or call 1–800–308–3515.
SAMHSA DTAC Bulletin
The SAMHSA DTAC Bulletin is a monthly e-communication that is used to share updates in the field, post upcoming activities, and highlight new resources. If you would like to receive monthly communications or contribute an item for an upcoming issue, please email SAMHSA DTAC.
SAMHSA DTAC Supplemental Research Bulletin
The purpose of the SAMHSA DTAC Supplemental Research Bulletin is to provide practitioners, planners, and other responders a summary of the most recently published research and literature reviews. Each of the Supplemental Research Bulletins will highlight a number of chosen articles related to a specific topic of interest. To view past issues, please visit the SAMHSA DTAC Supplemental Research Bulletin web page.
DTAC Tip Sheets
DTAC offers several tip sheets to help first responders and survivors after disasters and traumatic events. Spanish and Punjabi versions are also offered, when available:
For First Responders, Healthcare Professionals, and Their Families
- Tips for Healthcare Professionals: Coping With Stress and Compassion Fatigue – 2020 (Spanish – 2021)
- Tips for Health Care Practitioners and Responders: Helping Survivors Cope With Grief After a Disaster or Traumatic Event – 2017
- Helping Staff Manage Stress When Returning to Work: Tips for Supervisors of Disaster Responders – 2014 (Spanish – 2014)
- Tips for Disaster Responders: Cultural Awareness When Working in Indian Country Post Disaster – 2022
- Tips for Disaster Responders: Identifying Substance Misuse in the Responder Community – 2023 (Spanish – 2023)
- Tips for Disaster Responders: Preventing and Managing Stress (Spanish – 2023)
- Tips for Disaster Responders: Returning to Work – 2014 (Spanish – 2014)
- Tips for Disaster Responders: Understanding Compassion Fatigue – 2014 (Spanish – 2014)
- Tips for Disaster Responders: Understanding Historical Trauma and Resilience When Responding to an Event in Indian Country – 2022
- Tips for Families of Returning Disaster Responders: Adjusting to Life at Home – 2023 (Spanish – 2023)
For Survivors
- Coping With Grief After a Disaster or Traumatic Event – 2017
- Coping With Stress During Infectious Disease Outbreaks – 2014 (Spanish – 2016)
- How to Cope With Sheltering in Place – 2014 (Spanish – 2016)
- Taking Care of Your Behavioral Health: Tips for Social Distancing, Quarantine, and Isolation During an Infectious Disease Outbreak – 2020 (Spanish – 2016)
- Talking With Children: Tips for Caregivers, Parents, and Teachers During Infectious Disease Outbreaks – 2020 (Spanish – 2020)
- Tips for College Students: After a Disaster or Other Trauma – 2013 (Spanish – 2014)
- Tips for Survivors of a Disaster or Other Traumatic Event: Coping with Retraumatization - 2017 (Spanish – 2021)
- Tips for Survivors of a Disaster or Other Traumatic Event: Managing Stress – 2013 (Spanish – 2013)
- Tips for Survivors of a Disaster or Traumatic Event: What To Expect in Your Personal, Family, Work, and Financial Life – 2023 (Spanish – 2023)
- Tips for Survivors of a Pandemic: Managing Stress – 2020 (Spanish – 2021)
- Tips for Survivors: Coping With Grief After Community Violence – 2014
- Tips for Survivors: Coping With Grief After Community Violence – 2024 (updated version with a focus on the impacts of gun violence)
- Tips for Survivors: Coping With Anger After a Disaster or Other Traumatic Event – 2019
- Tips for Talking With and Helping Children and Youth Cope After a Disaster or Traumatic Event: A Guide for Parents, Caregivers, and Teachers – 2023 (Spanish – 2023)
- Tips for Young Adults: Coping with Mass Violence – 2022
Disaster Response Template Toolkit
The Disaster Response Template Toolkit features guidance and templates for disaster behavioral health programs. Materials are designed to help with program management and with making people aware of your program and its services, common disaster reactions, and coping strategies. Templates are provided for printed materials, as well as public service announcements and social media. To access the toolkit, visit the Disaster Response Template Toolkit home page.
DTAC Posters
DTAC offers posters to help educate survivors about disaster reactions.
Have You Experienced a Disaster? (Spanish - 2020)
Disaster survivors are not always aware of behaviors in themselves or others that are associated with adverse reactions to a disaster. This poster assists adult disaster survivors with identifying possible disaster reactions and provides resources to turn to for help.
Have You and Your Family Been Affected by a Disaster? (Spanish - 2020)
Parents and caregivers may not always understand and be able to identify behaviors in children and youth that are associated with adverse reactions to a disaster. This poster provides information on possible adverse reactions in children as well as where to get help.
DTAC Guides
DTAC offers guides to assist outreach workers, disaster responders, and public officials during disaster behavioral health planning and preparedness, response, and recovery.
Communicating in a Crisis: Risk Communication Guidelines for Public Officials
This guide provides public officials as well as others involved in disaster and emergency communications with information about effective communication, working with the media, using social media, and addressing errors and controlling rumors.
Disaster Behavioral Health All-hazards Planning Guidance
Designed for professionals involved in disaster behavioral health planning, this guide explains the rationale and resources for planning, identifies steps in the planning process, and describes elements of successful disaster behavioral health plans.
Helping Older Adults After Disasters: A Guide to Providing Support
Outreach workers often work with older adults after disasters. This guide will help prepare staff for encounters with this population by describing common disaster reactions and providing tips and resources.
Rural Disaster Behavioral Health: A Guide for Outreach Workers and Crisis Counselors
This guide offers an overview of rural populations, ways disasters may affect rural communities differently, and suggestions for helping rural individuals and communities. Its appendix includes a tip sheet rural disaster behavioral health programs can customize and use to raise awareness of their services.