Mental Health Issues Related to Disasters ("Psychological First Aid")
Target Audience
Department of Health Services staff, disaster service workers, mental health staff, Medical Reserve Corps volunteers.
This course is not currently scheduled.
Course Description
Following a disastrous event, aid centers, shelters, hospitals and dispensing sites may reach capacity in a short period of time due to victims, survivors, others seeking medical and/or mental health services. Effective management of the flow of individuals through these sites becomes critical. Health care providers, MRC volunteers, and other human services staff will need specialized skills in assessing the level and severity of psychological and physical need before providing the appropriate intervention or referral.
This course will review essential post-disaster "helping skills" for mental health workers, medical personnel and other human services providers. These skills are designed to minimize suffering and personal discomfort of all affected, but especially with vulnerable populations. Participants will also learn strategies for worker stress prevention and management, disaster counseling skills, and when to make a mental health referral. The workshop will list populations that are most vulnerable and in need of this type of intervention.
This workshop will be highly interactive and will include a lecture component using the "Field Manual for Mental Health and Human Service Workers in Major Disasters." The workshop will include a demonstration of essential skills, concluding with an opportunity for participants to practice acquired skills with trained mental health staff.
Learning Objectives
Participants will be able to:
- Distinguish adaptive from maladaptive psychological reactions to disasters.
- Assess the severity of psychological reactions to disasters and terrorism.
- Demonstrate how to triage psychological needs and administer psychological first-aid.
- Learn 3 concrete skills for providing self-care.