Immediate Disaster Behavioral Health Response

Mass Violence and Trauma-Specific Information

  • Disaster-Specific Resources Disaster Behavioral Health Information Series (DBHIS) Installment—This SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center (DTAC) DBHIS installment is a collection of resources focused on preparedness and response for specific types of disasters, including mass violence, riots, and https://www.samhsa.gov/dbhis-collections/disaster-specific-resources
  • Incidents of Mass Violence—The SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline supports survivors, family members, responders, and recovery workers who are affected by incidents of mass violence and other disasters. Information on this web page includes a list of risk factors for distress, information on lockdown notices and other warnings, and additional resources for coping. http://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/disaster-distress-helpline/disaster-types/mass-violence
  • Effects of Traumatic Stress After Mass Violence, Terror, or Disaster—This online article from the National Center for PTSD describes the emotional, cognitive, physical, and interpersonal reactions that disaster survivors may experience and discusses the potentially severe stress symptoms that may lead to lasting posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorders, or The article also presents information on how survivors can reduce their risk of psychological difficulties and recover from disaster stress. http://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/trauma/disaster-terrorism/stress-mv-t-dhtml.asp

Resources for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, and Questioning Individuals and Communities

  • GLBT National Help Center—this organization provides a national hotline for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people of all ages. Services are free and confidential and include peer counseling. The hotline number is 1-888-843-4564; it is available Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to midnight Eastern Time and Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. Eastern. A hotline is also available specifically for youth; that number is 1-800-246-PRIDE (1-800-246-7743). Support for people of all ages is also available by email at help@GLBThotline.org.
    http://www.glbthotline.org
  • LGBTQ Youth: Voices of Trauma, Lives of Promise—This brief (13-minute) video from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network includes accounts from lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning (LGBTQ) youth of trauma they experiences, their recovery, and how they have developed resilience, in part through their work with professionals.
    http://nctsn.org/products/lgbtq-youth-voices-trauma-lives-promise
  • Safe Spaces. Safe Places: Creating Welcoming and Inclusive Environments for Traumatized LGBTQ Youth—this video from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) presents the basics of working with LGBTQ youth who have experienced trauma, both as an individual professional and as part of a provider organization. To help organizations in using the video for training, the NCTSN also provides a resource guide. http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/spss_resource_guide.pdf
  • The Trevor Project—founded in 1998, the Trevor Project provides crisis intervention services and works to prevent suicide among LGBTQ teens and youth ages 13 through 24. Those in crisis can get immediate, free help 24/7 by calling the Trevor Project’s toll-free number, 1-866-488-7386. Help is also available via text (text the word “Trevor” to 202-304-1200) on Thursdays and Fridays from 4 to 8 p.m. Eastern time, and via a chat feature at the organization’s website every day from 3 to 9 p.m. Eastern time. https://www.thetrevorproject.org/

General Disaster Response and Recovery Information

  • Effects of Traumatic Stress After Mass Violence, Terror, or Disaster—This web page from the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) describes the emotional, cognitive, physical, and interpersonal reactions that disaster survivors may experience and discusses potentially severe stress symptoms and PTSD, anxiety disorders, and depression. The page also provides information about how survivors can reduce their risk of psychological difficulties and recover from disaster stress. http://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/trauma/disaster-terrorism/stress-mv-t-dhtml.asp

Resources for Faith-Based Communities and Spiritual Leaders

  • Faith Communities and Disaster Mental Health—This NDIN tip sheet provides information for religious leaders about common stress reactions people may experience in response to a disaster and suggests ways they can cope, and help others cope, with disaster stress reactions. The sheet also provides information on referring people for mental health services. http://www.n-din.org/ndin_resources/tipsheets_v1208/11_NDIN_TS_DisasterMentalHealth.pdf

Resources for Children, Youth, Parents and Other Caregivers, and Schools

  • Restoring a Sense of Safety in the Aftermath of a Shooting: Tips for Parents and Professionals—this fact sheet from the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress provides tips for professionals to help them communicate effectively about a shooting, ensure physical safety and security, and provide answers to some common questions. http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/csts_sense_of_safety.pdf

Resources Related to Children and Youth from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN)

The NCTSN offers several fact sheets and tip sheets related to helping children and youth cope with an incident of mass violence or other trauma. Some of these resources were developed specifically for the recent tragedy.

Resources for College Students

  • Coping Facts for College Students—this online fact sheet outlines common reactions to violent events such as school It lists tips for coping and seeking help after a traumatic event. http://www.semo.edu/ucs/coping_facts.html

Resources Focused on People with Disabilities

  • Tips for First Responders, 3rd Edition—The authors of this 28-page booklet offer tips disaster responders and other first responders can use during emergencies and routine encounters to support and communicate with people with The booklet is divided into sections that focus on older adults and on people with service animals, mobility impairments, autism, multiple chemical sensitivities, cognitive disabilities, and hearing or visual impairments. http://cdd.unm.edu/products/tips3rdedition.pdf

Resources Focused on Substance Use Concerns

  • Substance Use Disorders and Disasters—This SAMHSA DTAC DBHIS installment provides resources on the prevention and treatment of substance use disorders as part of disaster planning, response, and recovery. The installment includes tip sheets, guides, and other downloadable resources that can be used to help people with substance use disorders to cope with and recover from disaster events. http://www.samhsa.gov/dbhis-collections/substance-use?term=Substance-Use-DBHIS

Resources for Disaster Responders

  • Psychological First Aid for First Responders: Tips for Emergency and Disaster Response Workers—This SAMHSA tip sheet provides first responders with information on how to address people for the first time after a disaster and how to calmly communicate and promote http://store.samhsa.gov/shin/content/NMH05-0210/NMH05-0210.pdf
  • Traumatic Incident Stress: Information for Emergency Response Workers—This CDC fact sheet outlines symptoms of traumatic incident stress and lists activities emergency response workers can do on site and at home to cope with disaster response. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2002-107/pdfs/2002-107.pdf

Traumatic Stress and Re-traumatization

  • Effects of Traumatic Stress After Mass Violence, Terror, or Disaster—This National Center for PTSD web page describes the reactions to disaster that survivors may experience and discusses the potentially severe stress symptoms that may lead to lasting posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorders, or depression. Information on how survivors can reduce their risk of psychological difficulties and recover from disaster stress is also provided. http://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/trauma/disaster-terrorism/stress-mv-t-dhtml.asp

Additional Resource for Acute Needs

  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline—Funded by SAMHSA, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a source of support available 24/7 to people in crisis, including challenging responses to disasters. Call 1- 800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255), or, for support in Spanish, call 1-888-628-9454.  http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org