Behavioral Health and Emergency Preparedness

A range of mental health and chemical abuse (behavioral health) problems may surface in the early stages of an emergency situation.  These may continue to emerge among the public and among professionals who respond to an event. Addressing these concerns improves the emergency response and the health of the whole community.

On this page:
Psychological First Aid
Continuity of Operations (COOP)
Responder resources
Adult and family resources
Child and school resources
Disaster planning
Suicide prevention

Psychological First Aid

• Psychological First Aid (PFA)
  Helping people to reduce stress symptoms and assist in a healthy recovery following a traumatic event, natural disaster, pulic health emergency, or even a personal crisis.
  
  
• Psychological First Aid, a Community Support Model: Responding to Pandemic Influenza (PPT: 2.4MB/38 slides) (PDF: 1.8MB/38 pages)
  Special psychosocial needs of a pandemic influenza, how to utilize PFA principles to respond to those needs, and how to increase workforce, individual, and community resilience. Updated August, 2009
  
  
• Psychological First Aid: Responding To A Pandemic Influenza: Pre - Post Test
  Test your knowledge of psychological first aid.
  
  
• Pandemic Influenza Behavioral Health TIPS
  Tip sheet with common reactions to pandemic influenza.
  
  
• Psychological First Aid (PFA) During and After a Pandemic Influenza
  Typical reactions to pandemic for various age groups.
  
  
• Behavioral Health Pandemic Preparedness Checklist
  Checklist for agencies, human resources, staff, clients, communications, and influenza screening/surveillance.
  

Continuity of Operations (COOP)

• Pandemic Influenza: Continuity of Operations (COOP) Training for Behavioral Health Service Providers (PPT: 1.4MB/44 slides) (PDF: 463KB/44 pages)
  H1N1 planning, including service planning, staffing plan, consumer/client care, and an action plan.
  
  
• Behavioral Health Care - Pandemic Influenza Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) Template (Word: 137KB/8 pages) (PDF: 204KB/8 pages)
  Service planning, staffing plan, consumer/client care, and action plan.
  

Responder resources

• Managing Stress in a Public Health Emergency
  Understand common stress reactions to increase your ability to cope during a public health emergency.
  
  
• Responder Self Care: Caring For Yourself in the Face of Difficult Work
  Tips to help responders recognize stress and care for themselves while working on a traumatic event.
  
  
• Psychological First Aid for First Responders (PDF: 2 pages)
  SAMHSA tips for emergency and disaster response workers. Non-MDH link
  
  
• Psychological First Aid: Helping Victims in the Immediate Aftermath of Disaster (PDF: 2 pages)
  Fact sheet describing the concept of "psychological first aid" and explains how to administer it. Non-MDH link

Adult and family resources

• When Terrible Things Happen
  Recognizing common reactions faced by survivors, and suggesting helpful and less helpful responses.
  
  
• Alcohol, Medication, And Drug Use After A Disaster
  Helping people understand and manage their use of alcohol, prescription medications, or other drugs after a disaster.
  
  
• Coping with Your Emotions During Public Health Emergencies (PDF: 2 pages)
  Trifold brochure helping a person cope with anxiety during a public health emergency. Non-MDH link
  
  
• Helping Families Deal With the Stress of Relocation After a Disaster (PDF: 9 pages)
  ATSDR fact sheet to help family members of different ages deal with the stress of relocation. Non-MDH link

Child and school resources

• Talking to Children about Swine Flu (H1N1): A Parent Resource
  Guidelines to help parents talk to children in an age-appropriate way about the H1N1 virus, appropriate hygiene, school closures, and more. Non-MDH link
  
  
• Helping Children After the Flood
  Children react differently to a flood and its aftermath depending on their age, developmental level, and prior experiences.
  
  
• National Child Traumatic Stress Network
  NCTSN provides education and technical assistance for parents, schools, the media and behavioral health professionals who work with traumatic stress in children. Attention: Non-MDH link

Disaster planning

• Mental Health and Behavioral Guidelines for Response to a Pandemic Flu Outbreak
  The Center for Traumatic Stress summarizes what is known about mental health impacts of disease outbreaks. Non-MDH link
  
  
• Mental Health & Emergency Preparedness Strategies & Organizational Roles (PDF: 141KB/16 page)
  Grid showing the role of each state agency during an emergency.
  
  
• Behavioral Health & Emergency Preparedness Fact Sheet (PDF: 52KB/1 page)
  Fact sheet discusses possible behavioral health problems that may arise during an emergency event.
  
  
• Coping with a Natural Disaster (PDF: 4 pages)
  Understanding common reactions to uncommon events. Non-MDH link
  
  
• American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress
  The Academy works to advance interventions for survivors of trauma. They offer publications, discussion forums, and members-only resources. Attention: Non-MDH link
  
  
• Psychological and Emotional Effects of the September 11 Attacks on the World Trade Center
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Attention: Non-MDH link

Suicide prevention

• Mental Health and Suicide Prevention
  Behavioral health resource links from Minnesota, national, international and educational sources.

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