Disaster 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:
Community violence
Psychological first aid
Skills for psychological recovery (SPR)
Responder resources
Adult and family resources
Child and school resources
Disaster planning
Suicide prevention

• Disaster Behavioral Health Crisis/Text Lines (PDF)
  Contact information for Disaster Distress Helpline and the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
• National Mass Violence Center: Transcend App
  This free app was developed to help those who have been affected by mass violence. Designed to help reduce the risk of developing problems and enhance recovery if you already have problems.
• National Mass Violence Center: Managing Distress - Grounding Tops for Crime Victims, Survivors, and Family Members of Mass Violence Incidents
• SAMSHA: Tips for Survivors - Coping with Grief After Community Violence
• CSTS: Coping with Stress Following a Mass Shooting
• CSTS: Restoring a Sense of Safety in the Aftermath of a Mass Shooting
• Grief Leadership: Leadership in the Wake of Tragedy
• National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Coping After Mass Violence
  Written for parents and families, this tip sheet from National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) provides information about common reactions to mass violence and self-care tips for those living in communities where an incident of mass violence has taken place.
• NCTSN: Parent Guidelines for Helping Youth after the Recent Shooting
  In this three-page tip sheet released shortly after a shooting, the NCTSN describes how such an event may affect children and teens as well as parents and other caregivers.
• NCTSN: Talking to Children about the Shooting
  In this tip sheet, the NCTSN provides suggestions to parents and other caregivers for talking with their children in ways that help them to make sense of and cope with their reactions to a shooting. The tip sheet also identifies reactions common in children and teens to shooting incidents.
• NCTSN: Talking to Teens: When Violence Happens
• NCTSN: Help Kids Cope
  This free mobile app provides information to help parents and other caregivers, teachers, counselors, and others to talk about disasters with children. 

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, public health emergency, or even a personal crisis.
• Online Psychological First Aid: A Minnesota Community Supported Model
  Register at MN.TRAIN with Course ID 18110-36, PUBH X327 (.75 CEUs from UMN).
• Virtual PFA training is open to everyone and is offered every 2nd Monday of the month from 3:00-4:30 PM CST - Register atMN.TRAIN with Course ID 1101620 (CEU information provided)
• Minnesota Psychological First Aid Just-In-Time (Video: 11 minutes)
  Video collaboration between MDH and the City of Minneapolis media department.
• Are You Stressed?
  Resources for People in Disaster, Emergency or Crisis
• Psychological First Aid: A Minnesota Community Supported Model
  MDH-U of MN School of Public Health collaboration. Five video series, with available CEUs.
  • Psychological First Aid Part 1: Introduction to Psychological First Aid (YouTube: 6 min)
  • Psychological First Aid Part 2: The Impact of Trauma (YouTube: 6 min)
  • Psychological First Aid Part 3: Principles of Psychological First Aid (YouTube: 4 min)
  • Psychological First Aid Parts 4 & 5: Techniques and the "Dos" and "Dont's" of PFA (YouTube: 10 min)
  • Psychological First Aid Part 6: Responder Self Care (3 min)

Skills for psychological recovery (SPR) is an evidence-informed intervention designed to help individuals gain skills to reduce ongoing distress, promote resilience, and effectively cope in the weeks and months following a disaster or crisis. The SPR intervention is intended for individuals needing more than a single, brief intervention by a non-specialist but not necessarily needing full treatment for depression, anxiety, or PTSD. SPR skills focus on improving social support, helpful thinking, problem-solving, managing distressing responses to disaster reminders, and increasing positive activities.

• Skills for Psychological Recovery (SPR) (PDF)
  Fact sheet about skills for psychological recovery. 
• VA: Skills for Psychological Recovery Manual 

• Psychological First Aid: Helping Victims in the Immediate Aftermath of Disaster (PDF)
  Fact sheet describing the concept of "psychological first aid" and explains how to administer it.
• A Guide to Managing Stress for Disaster Responders and First Responders
• Helping Staff Manage Stress When Returning to Work: Tips for Supervisors of Disaster Responders (PDF) 
• Understanding Historical Trauma to an Event in Indian Country
  Link to get the document 
• Psychological First Aid for First Responders
  SAMHSA tips for emergency and disaster response workers. 
• Self-Care Pocket Reference Guide for Emergency Response Deployment (PDF)
  A guide for volunteer responders that includes pre- and post- deployment checklists and self-reflection activities. This resource was originally created for the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Health and is now offered online by Wisconsin Department of Health.
• Introduction to Trauma-Informed Care -Free online training. Register at MN.TRAIN with course ID 1120560. The course provides a basic introduction to a trauma-informed approach during an emergency response.

• Tips for Families of Returning Disaster Responders: Adjusting to Life at Home (PDF) 
• Tips for Survivors of a Traumatic Event: What to Expect in Your Personal, Family, Work, and Financial Life 
• 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. 
• Helping Families Deal With the Stress of Relocation After a Disaster (PDF)
  ATSDR fact sheet to help family members of different ages deal with the stress of relocation. 
• Tips for Survivors: Coping with anger after a disaster or other traumatic event (PDF) 
• SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline and Text to Talk line

• After a Crisis: How Young Children Heal (PDF) 
• Being Safe After a Flood Activity Book (PDF) 
• Helping Children After the Flood
  Children react differently to a flood and its aftermath depending on their age, developmental level, and prior experiences. 
• CDC: Ready Wrigley: Coping After a Disaster (Activity Book)
  Activity book in English and Spanish. 
• 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.

• ASPR (Administration for Strategic Preparedness) 
• ASPR TRACIE Disaster Behavioral Health Resources 
• MN Behavioral Health Medical Reserve Corp
  Statewide group of volunteer behavioral health specialists. 
• 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.

• National Institute of Mental Health – Warning Signs of Suicide 
• MDH: Suicide Prevention Program
  Behavioral health resource links from Minnesota, national, international and educational sources.