From devastating wildfires, tornadoes, and mudslides to mass shootings and terrorist attacks, it’s nearly impossible to turn on the news these days without seeing a report of another disaster. Natural disasters and man-made disasters are increasing frequency, duration and severity. Only in 2023, the United States experienced 114 are federally declared disastersincluding 28 separate weather and climate disasters that each caused at least $1 billion in damages. These disasters can have a profound impact on affected people and communities, especially when multiple disasters have occurred in the same area.
This increase in frequency and severity can be overwhelming given the emotional toll caused by each disaster. However, there are steps people can take to more effectively cope or recover – whether they are a survivor, a loved one of a survivor, an emergency responder or a behavioral health provider. Along with the stress people feel when directly affected by these events, hearing about disasters can also increase stress. April is National Stress Awareness Month, and many of the tools used in disaster behavioral health focus on reducing stress and promoting mental health.
Why Disaster Behavioral Health Matters
Behavioral disaster health recognizes the unique ways in which people and communities should be provided with mental health and substance use support in the immediate aftermath of a natural or man-made disaster. This field of behavioral health has been developing for decades and is growing rapidly. It uses evidence-based and evidence-based strategies and interventions to support the recovery of all those affected and mitigate the long-term negative consequences of health behavior following a disaster. A cornerstone of disaster health behavior is Psychological First Aid (PFA)which are actions anyone can learn to help someone in danger.
At an individual level, understanding responses to traumatic events can help people cope more effectively with emotions, thoughts and behaviors and support a path to recovery. On a broader level, this knowledge can help responders and behavioral health providers ensure a more compassionate and effective response.
The Role of Behavioral Health in Disasters
Once basic needs are met, survivors may go through a process of identifying, labeling, and expressing their feelings while developing coping strategies and building resilience. Behavioral disaster health providers support survivors through this process, primarily by:
- assistance in examining and recognizing their situation and emotional responses to the disaster;
- education about common reactions, such as duration of reactions and signs of need for professional behavioral health services;
- dealing with any immediate mental and emotional crises and subsequent psychological or substance use conditions; and
- reviewing their options for the best behavioral health supports and connecting them with other people and community resources that may help improve their situation.
These services may also include helping survivors access physical supports in the community that existed before, and will continue after the disaster—such as faith-based and peer support groups. In addition, disaster behavioral health helps survivors regain a sense of control and provides referrals to intensive behavioral health services if needed.
SAMHSA’s Role in Disaster Behavioral Health
SAMHSA is a leader in disaster behavioral health. SAMHSA strives to ensure our nation is ready to meet the behavioral health needs that follow disasters or emerging incidents by providing guidance and expertise in preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery. For example, states can use SAMHSA’s technical assistance and training to develop all-hazards disaster behavior health plans, while local health care providers, first responders, or even parents, caregivers, and general public can look to SAMHSA for advice and strategies to support survivors at the community level. Here are some examples of SAMHSA programs and resources:
Crisis Counseling Assistance and Education Program
This program supports the recovery of survivors of natural and man-made disasters through community-based outreach, crisis counseling, and other disaster behavioral health services. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds and operates the Crisis Counseling and Training Program (CCP) as a supplemental assistance program. SAMHSA works with FEMA to provide technical assistance, consultation, and training for state and local mental health personnel and administers grant management and oversight of the CCP program. US states, territories, and federally recognized tribes are eligible to apply for a CCP grant through two programs:
The core principles of CCP differentiate it from other survivor support programs in that services are provided in accessible community locations such as survivor homes, shelters, transitional living spaces, and places of worship, and no individual records or case files are maintained. It’s anonymous, and crisis counselors work closely with community organizations so they can refer survivors to behavioral health treatment and other services.
An example of the program in action: Hawaii was able to receive both ISP and RSP grants to support community wellness and resilience efforts following the devastating wildfires in Maui last summer. As of January, Hawaii CPC had served 2,794 Maui survivors through individual and family meetings and 1,879 survivors through group counseling sessions.
Learn more about the program in the CCP Brochure (PDF | 226 KB).
SAMHSA Emergency Response Grants
In coordination with the US Department of Health and Human Services, SAMHSA also has specialized authority to act immediately in emergency situations requiring a behavioral health response when no other resources are available. This principle includes the provision of SAMHSA Emergency Response Grants, which support the implementation of new mental health and substance use prevention, treatment and recovery resources in an emergency. In recent years, for example, SAMHSA has awarded these grants to support recovery efforts after mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Colorado Springs, Colorado, as well as in Maui, Hawaii, after wildfires, and in Ohio, after freight train derailment and associated chemical spill. This funding can be used for short- or long-term behavioral health prevention, treatment and rehabilitation, and disaster counseling services to support the needs of survivors.
SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center
SAMHSA’s Disaster Technical Assistance Center (DTAC) assists states, territories, tribes, and local entities with an all-hazards behavioral health response plan that enables them to prepare for and respond to natural and man-made disasters . This center also supports collaboration between mental health and substance use authorities, federal agencies and non-governmental organizations. facilitates the exchange of information and best practices in disaster health behaviour. SAMHSA DTAC provides many newsletters, tip sheets, toolkits, guides, and other resource materials, and you can contact staff for consultation and training on a wide range of disaster health topics. There are also on-demand and archived training courses and videos for first responders and disaster health professionals.
Disaster Helpline (DDH)
SAMHSA is also leading the effort for the first national hotline dedicated to year-round disaster counseling. DDH is a free, multilingual, crisis support service available 24/7 to all residents of the United States and its territories experiencing emotional distress related to natural or man-made disasters, including disaster survivors. loved ones of the victims. first responders? rescue, recovery and relief workers; clergy; and parents and caregivers. The helpline is available in English, Spanish, American Sign Language (ASL), and more than 100 other languages through third-party live interpreting services.
- To contact the helpline, call or text 1-800-985-5990.
- Español: Call or send a text message 1-800-985-5990 press “2.”
- For ASL Deaf and Hard of Hearing Callers: To connect directly with an American Sign Language agent, click “ASL Now” or call 1-800-985-5990 from your video phone. ASL support is available 24/7.
SAMHSA’s commitment to expanding disaster behavioral health resources
Many Americans feel the impact of disasters in their lives – sometimes because their community, household, and loved ones are affected, or because the news of these events seems overwhelming. A key aspect of resilience to these events is to ensure that people feel that there is something they can do when these traumatic events occur. SAMHSA remains committed to promoting disaster behavioral health and expanding resources that everyone can use before, during and after disasters to support individual and community recovery.
