Established by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Disaster Technical Assistance Center (DTAC) supports SAMHSA's efforts to prepare States, Territories, Tribes, and local entities to deliver an effective mental health and substance abuse (behavioral health) response to disasters.
This brochure provides clear and concise resource information about SAMHSA DTAC, its mission, and its services. View a PDF version of the brochure. [PDF – 283 Kb]
Contact SAMHSA DTAC to access knowledgeable technical assistance specialists who are available to provide the following services:
- Answer questions regarding disaster behavioral health preparedness and response issues.
- Provide guidance pertaining to disaster behavioral health funding mechanisms, such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program (CCP).
- Access our contact database of State and Territory disaster behavioral health coordinators.
- Facilitate information exchange and knowledge brokering by connecting technical assistance requestors to their peers and experts in the field.
- Identify useful print and electronic materials from the SAMHSA DTAC Resource Collection, a library of over 1,800 tip sheets, publications, studies, and articles created by Federal agencies, grantees, and nongovernmental organizations.
Preparedness
SAMHSA DTAC assists States, Territories, Tribes, and local entities with all-hazards disaster behavioral health response planning that allows them to prepare for and respond to both natural and human-caused disasters. SAMHSA DTAC also supports collaboration between mental health and substance abuse authorities, Federal agencies, and nongovernmental organizations and facilitates the sharing of information and best practices with the disaster behavioral health field. Please contact SAMHSA DTAC staff for the following:
- Consultation to review disaster mental health and substance abuse plans
- Disaster behavioral health trainings or consultations
- Research on emergent issues
Response
SAMHSA DTAC supports the SAMHSA Center for Mental Health Services in the provision of disaster behavioral health technical assistance grant support to eligible States, Territories, and federally recognized Tribes. SAMHSA DTAC staff are knowledgeable about the experiences of States that have confronted certain types of disasters, and they can relay lessons learned and best practices that have grown out of these experiences. Contact SAMHSA DTAC staff for assistance in identifying the following:
- Suitable publications
- Psychoeducational materials
- Expert consultants
Featured Items
The SAMHSA Disaster Behavioral Health Information Series (DBHIS) contains resource collections and toolkits pertinent to disaster behavioral health. Installments target specific populations, specific types of disasters, and other topics related to all-hazards disaster behavioral health preparedness and response.
The Dialogue is a quarterly e-communication that provides practical and down-to-earth information for State and Territory disaster behavioral health coordinators, local service providers, Federal stakeholders, Tribes, and nongovernmental organizations.
The DTAC Bulletin is a monthly e-communication that is used to share updates in the field, post upcoming activities, and highlight new resources.
Last updated 3/23/11
DTAC Quick Links
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