Disaster Behavioral Health

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Description

Many public health workers are confident in their ability to handle the physical tasks involved in responding to a disaster, but what about the psychological challenges? In this module, Dr. Randal Beaton discusses the psychological phases of a community-wide disaster, common patterns of immediate and long-term public response, mental health risks that rescue workers and victims face, signs that might indicate that a survivor needs a mental health evaluation, and the importance of local preparedness. The module bases its case studies on Washington State agencies and plans.

Objectives

After completing this course, you should be able to:

• List three of the common psychosocial phases of a community-wide disaster.
• Describe the various individual behavioral health outcomes that usually occur in the aftermath of disasters.
• Identify abnormal reactions to disaster that might indicate a need for a psychological evaluation.
• Describe how the Washington State mental health disaster response plan incorporates local, state and federal agencies.