Anyone who has ever been impacted or responded to a disaster knows first-hand about the trauma that occurs to each of us. Tragedy, fear, and despair challenge us physically, intellectually, and emotionally. This much we all know.
Unfortunately, far too few individuals and organizations have a full grasp of the services available to us. And in some instances, we may be tangentially aware, but we don’t take the time to 1) leverage those resources for ourselves and/or 2) ensure we promote those resources to other responders and survivors. And more often than not, these services are completely free. This much we all should know.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) serves a meaningful and substantive role in this regard. SAMHSA maintains a Disaster Distress Helpline. Did you know, and have you shared, these key aspects?
Disaster Distress Helpline
- It is free.
- It is open to anyone experiencing emotional distress related to disasters.
- The counselors are fully trained in what they do.
- We can connect in more than 100 languages.
- The number we can call, or text, is 1-800-985-5990.
- ASL support is also available 24/7.
Disaster Behavioral Health Resources
In addition, SAMHSA provides a bevy of resources that can educate and assist emergency responders at the local, state, tribal and federal levels – before, during, and after disasters:
- The Dialogue is a quarterly electronic newsletter.
- The SAMHSA Bulletin is a monthly e-communication used to share updates in the field.
- SAMHSA Supplemental Research Bulletin provides practitioners, planners, and other responders a summary of the most recently published research.
- The Disaster Technical Assistance Center (DTAC) also offers countless Tip Sheets for responders, health care professionals, and survivors alike.
Disaster Response Stress Management
SAMHSA also provided examples of Typical Stressors, to include warning signs, individual approaches, self-awareness, and management of workload. Some of the stressors include:
- Personal experience with the disaster
- Direct exposure to the negative effects of the disaster
- Cumulative stress from repeatedly hearing survivors’ stories
- Chronic stress from approaching strangers who may reject their help
- Feeling overwhelmed by the depth of others’ grief and sadness
- Feeling unable to alleviate the pain of others
- Working long hours in difficult environments
- Lack of or insufficient supervision
Crisis Counseling Assistance
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) maintains the Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program (CCP), a supplemental program that provides financial assistance for mental health services and training activities in jurisdictions that have received a Presidential major disaster declaration that includes Individual Assistance (IA) and authorizes CCP. An overview of CCP includes:
- CCP’s mission is to assist individuals and communities in recovering from the psychological effects of disasters.
- It supports short-term interventions to assist disaster survivors in understanding their current situation and reactions in their recovery process.
- Services are provided at no cost and are available to any survivor who has been impacted by the disaster.
- These services are delivered in accessible locations, including survivors’ homes, shelters, temporary living sites, and places of worship.
- Services can be provided in a group setting or one-on-one.
- CCP must be delivered in an equitable and impartial manner, without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency, or economic status.
- Providers of CCP must plan to meet the needs of people with access and functional needs, such as people with limited English proficiency and individuals with disabilities, such as people who are deaf or hard of hearing who may use sign language or captioning.
If any of this information is new to you, then it is likely new to those you work with and support. Promoting these programs is more than an opportunity; it is a responsibility that we all share.
For more information, visit SAMHSA DTAC and FEMA CCP.
Dan Stoneking is the Owner and Principal of Stoneking Strategic Communications , the Author of Cultivate Your Garden: Crisis Communications from 30,000 Feet to Three Feet , the Founder and Vice President of the Emergency Management External Affairs Association , and an Adjunct Professor for Public Speaking at West Chester University.