Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration

This Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Disaster Behavioral Health Information Series installment focuses on the reactions and mental health needs of children and youth after a disaster and contains resources from both the child trauma and disaster behavioral health fields. The collection includes an annotated bibliography and a section with helpful links to organizations, agencies, and other resources that address disaster preparedness and response issues surrounding children and youth.

Resources are organized as follows:

• Annotated Bibliography
  • Children and Youth—Resources such as coloring and activity books that help children and youth understand disasters, foster resilience, and encourage the expression of feelings related to disasters.
  • Parents and Guardians—Resources on how to help children and youth cope with disasters as well as activities parents and guardians can do with children and youth.
  • Mental Health and Health Providers—Resources such as tip sheets and guides that provide information to clinicians, healthcare professionals, and hospital staff on how to help children before and after disasters.
  • Child Care Providers—Resources for child care providers on how to prepare for a disaster and how to respond should one occur.
  • Teachers and Other School Personnel—Resources for teachers or school staff that include guidelines and classroom activities to use when discussing disasters with children.
  • School Emergency Planning—Resources for school administrators on proper school crisis planning.
  • Children with Special Needs—Resources that can be helpful in preparing for and recovering from disasters when children with special needs are involved.

• Helpful Links