On this page the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Disaster Technical Assistance Center (DTAC) presents information on disaster behavioral health (DBH) online trainings (web-based courses); field events (DBH conferences, including meetings, workshops, and conventions); and webcasts (SAMHSA DTAC and non-SAMHSA DTAC media presentations on DBH topics). If you would like to add an event to our Education and Training listing, please contact SAMHSA DTAC.
Webcasts
*New* Helping Children and Youth Cope in the Aftermath of Disasters: Tips for Parents and Other Caregivers, Teachers, Administrators, and School Staff Podcast
The goal of this 50-minute podcast is to help parents, caregivers, teachers, and other schools staff to identify common reactions of children and youth to disaster and trauma, and discover helpful approaches to support immediate and long-term recovery.
Hosted by Julie Liu, M.A., public health advisor, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, presenters include Robin Gurwitch, Ph.D., Center for Family Health, Duke University Medical Center and Russell T. Jones, Ph.D., Virginia Tech University. Dr. Gurwitch, a clinical psychologist and Duke University faculty member, is a master trainer in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, focusing on resiliency for families affected by trauma. Dr. Jones is a professor of psychology at Virginia Tech University and a clinical psychologist who specializes in trauma psychology in the areas of natural and technological disasters as well as interpersonal violence.
If you have questions or need more information, please contact Julie Liu at (240) 276–2424 or Julie.Liu@samhsa.hhs.gov. Feedback is welcome at dtac@samsha.hhs.gov.
*New* Deployment Supports for Disaster Behavioral Health Responders Podcast
The goal of this 30-minute podcast is to prepare disaster behavioral health (DBH) responders and their family members for deployment by reviewing pre- and post-deployment guidelines and ways to prepare oneself and one's family members for the stress of deployment and reintegration into regular work and family life. This podcast aims to accomplish the following:
- Increase awareness of the unique issues DBH responders face, especially with numerous or long-term assignments.
- Provide pre-deployment guidelines to assist DBH responders and their family members as they prepare for deployment.
- Assist with the DBH responder and family members by providing post-deployment guidelines and practices that enable reintegration with family members and routine employment.
The featured speaker is April Naturale, Ph.D., of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Disaster Technical Assistance Center (DTAC). Dr. Naturale is a traumatic stress specialist with a 25-year history in health/mental health administration. She directed New York's disaster mental health response following the terrorist attacks of 9/11, and spent several years in the Gulf Coast after the large-scale hurricanes that devastated the area.
SAMHSA DTAC encourages participation by behavioral health, public health, and other professionals involved in emergency management/disaster response.
If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Lori McGee at 240-515-8414 or Lori.McGee@icfi.com. Please send feedback regarding this podcast or suggestions for future podcasts or webinars to dtac@samsha.hhs.gov.
*NEW* Cultural Awareness: Children and Youth in Disasters Podcast
The goal of this 60-minute podcast is to assist disaster behavioral health responders in providing culturally aware and appropriate disaster behavioral health services for children, youth, and families impacted by natural and human-caused disasters. The podcast aims to accomplish the following:
- Define cultural awareness
- Demonstrate the importance of cultural awareness in disaster services, particularly with children and youth
- Identify common reactions of children to disaster and trauma
- Present helpful approaches to working with children impacted by a disaster
Featured speakers include April Naturale, Ph.D., of SAMHSA DTAC and Russell T. Jones, Ph.D., of Virginia Tech University. Dr. Naturale is a traumatic stress specialist with a 25-year history in health/mental health administration. Dr. Jones is a Professor of Psychology at Virginia Tech University and a clinical psychologist who specializes in trauma psychology in the areas of natural and technological disasters as well as interpersonal violence.
SAMHSA DTAC encourages participation by behavioral health, public health, and other professionals involved in emergency management/disaster response activities who are interested in learning more about working with children and youth following a disaster or need a refresher about the disaster response issues specific to this population. View archived podcasts.
*NEW* Self-Care for Disaster Behavioral Health Responders Podcast
SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center (DTAC) is pleased to present the Self-Care for Disaster Behavioral Health Responders podcast. The goal of this 60-minute podcast is to provide information, best practices, and tools that enable disaster behavioral health (DBH) responders and supervisors to identify and effectively manage stress and secondary traumatic stress through workplace structures and self-care practices. The podcast will do all of the following:
- Define the stressors unique to DBH responders, including secondary traumatic stress
- Present best practices in self-care for DBH responders
- Provide tools that can be used to promote self-care
- Identify supports that can be provided by supervisors and management to assist DBH responders
Featured speakers include April Naturale, Ph.D., of SAMHSA DTAC and Jeannette David, Georgia Disaster Behavioral Health Coordinator.
SAMHSA DTAC encourages participation by behavioral health, public health, and other professionals involved in emergency management/disaster response and interested in learning more about self-care best practices. View archived podcasts.
Promising Practices in Disaster Behavioral Health Planning Webinar Series
From June to August 2011, SAMHSA DTAC held the Promising Practices in Disaster Behavioral Health Planning webinar series that consisted of nine webinars addressing promising practices in integrated mental health and substance abuse DBH planning. These webinars are meant to assist State and Territory disaster behavioral health coordinators, disaster mental health coordinators, and disaster substance abuse coordinators, as well as emergency management/behavioral health coordinators for Tribes, with the development and implementation of their DBH plans. The webinars have been recorded and are currently available for viewing. View archived Promising Practices webinars.
SAMHSA DTAC encourages all States, Territories, and Tribes to view the recorded webinars. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Terri Spear (Emergency Coordinator, SAMHSA/Office of Policy, Planning and Innovation/Division of Policy Innovation) at 240-276-2244 or terri.spear@samhsa.hhs.gov or Dr. Amy Mack (SAMHSA DTAC Project Director) at 240-744-7090 or amy.mack@icfi.com.
Building Awareness of Disaster Behavioral Health Webinar Series
In July and August 2011, SAMHSA DTAC held the Building Awareness of Disaster Behavioral Health webinar series to educate participants about the mental health, substance abuse, and stress management needs of people who have been exposed to human-caused, natural, or technological disasters. The webinars also help to build awareness about preparedness and response efforts in this area. The content of the webinars can be utilized by mental and non-mental health professionals who are involved in emergency management/disaster response and interested in learning more about mental health and substance abuse issues. The webinars featured nationally known mental health and substance abuse experts, as well as representatives from the fields of public health and emergency management. The webinars have been recorded and are currently available for viewing. View archived Building Awareness webinars.
Non-SAMHSA DTAC Webcasts
| Topic | Date Aired |
|---|---|
Disaster Mental Health Counseling Podcast |
Date and time unknown |
Principles of Planning for Disaster Risk Reduction |
September 18, 2012 |
Safe Schools: Behavioral Health Recovery After Crisis Situations |
December 16, 2008 |
Safe Schools: Crisis Intervention; How to Support People Coping with Loss |
March 16, 2010 |
State of All Hazards Preparedness for Children: Partnerships and Models for Merging Emergency Department and Disaster Preparedness Efforts Nationwide |
March 24, 2010 |
Stress Management for Emergency Responders—What Agencies Can Do |
January 21, 2009 |
Understanding and Responding to the Needs of Children After Large-Scale Disasters |
May 22, 2008 |
Online Training Sites
Early Responders Distance Learning Center 
The Early Responders Distance Learning Center created and administers accredited courses for the emergency response community on preparing for and responding to terrorist incidents. The courses offer a specialized focus on psychological perspectives and issues.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Online Courses
FEMA offers free independent study courses that can be completed for continuing education units. Courses cover topics such as emergency preparedness, developing and managing volunteers, and the Incident Command System.
John Hopkins Public Health Preparedness Programs: Mental Health Preparedness Trainings
The John Hopkins Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Center has developed a variety of mental health preparedness trainings that are available online:
- Disaster Mental Health Intervention
- Disaster Mental Health Planning
- Introduction to Mental Health and Disaster Preparedness
- Mental Health Consequences of Disaster
- Psychological First Aid Competencies for Public Health Workers
- Psychology and Crisis Response
- Psychology of Terrorism
- Roots of Terrorism
- Self-Care
Massachusetts Environmental Health Association Disaster Behavioral Health Training
The Massachusetts Environmental Health Association has developed several disaster behavioral health trainings that are available online:
- Psychological First Aid: Helping People Cope During Disasters and Public Health Emergencies
- Psychological First Aid in Radiation Disasters
- Psychological Issues Following Disasters
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) Psychological First Aid (PFA) Online Course
The NCTSN Learning Center for Child and Adolescent Trauma is an online training center geared toward professionals and families seeking to learn more about child traumatic stress. Many resources specifically focus on disaster-related trauma and grief. The NCTSN Learning Center also features PFA Online, a 6-hour course in which the student plays the role of a provider working in a scene after a disaster. According to the online course description, "this professionally narrated course is for individuals who are new to disaster response and want to learn the core goals of PFA, as well as for seasoned practitioners who want a review. It features innovative activities, video demonstrations, and mentor tips from the nation's trauma experts and survivors. PFA Online also offers a Learning Community where participants can share experiences of using PFA in the field, receive guidance during times of disaster, and obtain additional resources and training."
Office of Minority Health Cultural Competency Curriculum for Disaster Preparedness and Crisis Response
These four online courses build knowledge and skills for disaster and crisis personnel and volunteers to "provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services to diverse communities during all phases of disaster." The curriculum is grouped into three themes: culturally competent care, language access services, and organizational supports.
University of North Carolina (UNC) Center for Public Health Preparedness Training Web Site
According to this site, it "offers free short Internet-based trainings developed by the UNC Center for Public Health Preparedness (CPHP) on public health preparedness topics such as disease surveillance, basic epidemiology, bioterrorism, and new/emerging disease agents."
Field Events
12th World Congress on Stress, Trauma & Coping
http://www.icisf12thworldcongress.org/
February 19–24, 2013; Baltimore, Maryland
This annual World Congress is sponsored by the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, and the theme is "Navigating the Next Era of Crisis & Disaster Response." The purpose of this conference is to give those who provide crisis and disaster mental health services an opportunity to discuss research on and innovations in crisis intervention, as well as crisis intervention in the following contexts: military, disaster response, emergency services, health care, work with specialty populations, and schools.
Crises and Disasters: Psychosocial Consequences International Congress
http://psychcongress2013.gr/en
March 6–9, 2013; Athens, Greece
Planned by the World Federation for Mental Health, the Hellenic Psychiatric Association, and the Society of Preventive Psychiatry, this conference will provide a forum for discussion on the consequences of natural and human-caused disasters, with a focus on economic crises and the impact of crisis on vulnerable populations, including people with mental disorders.
Annual Public Health Preparedness Summit
http://www.phprep.org
March 12–15, 2013; Atlanta, Georgia
The theme for the annual summit is “Strengthening Public Health and Healthcare Preparedness through Innovation, Integration, and Implementation.” The conference sessions will cover topics such as community resilience, administrative preparedness, volunteer management, mass prophylaxis and catastrophic preparedness, biosurveillance, public health law, and crisis standards of care.
Disaster Recovery Journal—Spring World 2013
http://www.drj.com/events/spring-world-2013/homepage.html
March 17–20, 2013; Orlando, Florida
The theme for Spring World 2013 is “Charting the Course to True Resiliency.” The purpose of this conference is to bring together professionals in public and private sectors to discuss business continuity, including crisis communication, crisis management, risk management, risk assessment, and lessons learned. The conference will also include a special session on lessons learned from Hurricane Sandy.
12th Native Women and Men’s Wellness Conference
http://www.aii.ou.edu/nativewellness2013
March 17–20, 2013; San Diego, California
The Native Women and Men’s Conference is hosted by the American Indian Institute at the University of Oklahoma. The theme of this annual conference is “In Balance.” The conference will include tracks on behavioral health and wellness that discuss trauma, grief, and stress, as well as mental health support and alcohol and substance abuse prevention focused on tribal communities.
10th Annual Hawaii Conference on Preventing, Assessing and Treating Child, Adolescent and Adult Trauma
http://www.ivatcenters.org/10thhawaiiconference.html
March 19–21, 2013; Honolulu, Hawaii
This conference is sponsored by the Institute on Violence, Abuse and Trauma at Alliant International University. According to the website, this annual conference will include plenary and breakout sessions to “discuss the types of child, adolescent and adult trauma, the dynamics of maltreatment and trauma at home or in the community, and the effects on children, adolescents and adults psychologically, behaviorally and neurodevelopmentally.” Practical techniques and applications will be emphasized in presentations on the latest research throughout the conference.
American Counseling Association 2013 Conference & Expo
http://www.counseling.org/Convention
March 20–24, 2013; Cincinnati, Ohio
This conference will provide a forum to present and discuss the latest techniques, theories, research, and best practices in the field. Conference attendees can focus on a specific area of interest by attending sessions within one of the 22 tracks, including individual trauma/disaster mental health; counseling lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people; military counseling; and multicultural and international counseling.
2013 National Hurricane Conference
http://www.hurricanemeeting.com
March 25–28, 2013; New Orleans, Louisiana
The National Hurricane Conference brings together federal, state, and local officials to discuss and recommend new policies to improve emergency management. The purpose of this conference, according to its website, is to “improve hurricane preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation in order to save lives and property in the United States and the tropical islands of the Caribbean and Pacific.”
2013 Partners in Emergency Preparedness Conference
https://www.cm.wsu.edu/ehome/index.php?eventid=25597&
April 2–4, 2013; Tacoma, Washington
According to its website, this conference will provide a forum for professionals working in businesses, schools, government, the nonprofit sector, emergency management, and volunteer organizations to present and discuss “business continuity planning, school safety, public health preparedness, homeland security, and public information.”
43rd National Council for Behavioral Health Conference
http://www.thenationalcouncil.org/cs/conference2013
April 8–10, 2013; Las Vegas, Nevada
The purpose of this conference, according to its website, is to “explore healthcare’s greatest innovations in behavioral health practice improvement, financing, integrated healthcare, technology, policy and advocacy, social justice, and professional development.” Conference tracks will include Trauma-Informed Care, Children and Youth, and Addictions and Co-Occurring Disorders.
10th Institute for Disaster Mental Health Conference
http://www.newpaltz.edu/idmh
April 19, 2013; New Paltz, New York
The theme for this annual conference is “Radiological Readiness: Preparing for Dirty Bombs, Nuclear Disasters, and Other Catastrophes.” The purpose of this conference is to provide new information and recommendations related to the probability, effects, and consequences of radiological disasters.
2013 Preparedness, Emergency Response, and Recovery Consortium (PERRC) and Exhibition
http://www.perrc.org
May 8–10, 2013; Orlando, Florida
Sponsored by the Chesapeake Health Education Program, Inc., the consortium will bring together both governmental and private sector personnel to share best practices in mitigation, emergency management, and response before, during, and after a disaster. According to the website, during the conference, subject matter experts will present and lead forum discussions on “lessons learned during times of preparedness, response, and recovery in public health emergencies, affecting healthcare infrastructure.”
Australian and New Zealand Disaster and Emergency Management Conference
http://anzdmc.com.au
May 29–31, 2013; Brisbane, Australia
This conference is jointly sponsored by the Australian Institute of Emergency Services, the Australian & New Zealand Mental Health Organization Inc., and the Association for Sustainability in Business Inc. The conference will cover topics in natural and human-caused hazards and disaster prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery. It will include discussion of human and social issues that arise during and after disasters.
Eighth European Society for Traumatic Stress Studies Conference
http://www.estss-2013conference.eu
June 6–9, 2013; Bologna, Italy
The theme for this conference is “Trauma and its Clinical Pathways: PTSD and Beyond.” The purpose of this conference is to bring together researchers and clinicians to discuss topics including trauma prevention and recovery in emergency services and disasters, innovative practice and therapy models in different cultural contexts, traumatic stress, assessment of children and youth, trauma across the lifespan, the psychopharmacology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and posttraumatic growth.
The College on Problems of Drug Dependence 75th Annual Meeting
http://www.cpdd.vcu.edu
June 15–20, 2013; San Diego, California
According to the website, the goal of this meeting is “to present and disseminate information about ongoing research in the biomedical, behavioral, and social sciences.”
Global Health and Well-Being: The Social Work Response
http://www.nyu.edu/socialwork/continuing.education/socialwork.response.html
June 17–19, 2013; New York, New York
This conference is co-sponsored by the National Association of Deans and Directors and the New York Association of Deans of Schools of Social Work. The purpose of the conference is to define the social work response to address pressing health and psychosocial problems globally. One of the conference themes is “Trauma, Crises, and Response,” including natural disaster, war, and violence. The conference will include keynote addresses, roundtable discussions, panels, and breakout workshops.
The World Conference on Disaster Management
http://www.wcdm.org
June 23–26, 2013; Toronto, Ontario, Canada
The World Conference on Disaster Management will bring together disaster management professionals from over 35 countries to provide “a global perspective on current issues and concerns in the industry.” Conference track topics include resilience, crisis communications, emergency management, and business continuity management.
21st World Congress for Social Psychiatry
http://www.wasp2013.com
June 29–July 3, 2013; Lisbon, Portugal
Sponsored by the World Association for Social Psychiatry, the topic of this conference is “The bio-psycho-social model: The future of psychiatry.” The main topics include natural and human-caused disasters, such as the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, and mental health; ways to create alliances to respond to mental health challenges; and comorbid mental and physical illnesses.
Third International Conference on Disaster Management and Human Health: Reducing Risk, Improving Outcomes
http://www.wessex.ac.uk/13-conferences/disaster-management-2013.html
July 9–11, 2013; A Coruña, Spain
This conference is organized by the Wessex Institute of Technology (WIT) and co-sponsored by WIT Transactions on the Built Environment and the International Journal of Safety and Security Engineering. The purpose of this conference is, according to its website, to provide a forum for partners in disaster management and leading academics to exchange information “on current global health risks, and how best to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters in order to reduce human health impacts.” The conference will bring together leading academics and disaster management professionals to exchange information about best practices for prevention in disaster management and public health related to both natural and human-caused disasters.
American Psychological Association Convention
http://www.apa.org/convention
July 31–August 4, 2013; Honolulu, Hawaii
The American Psychological Association Convention will offer half- and full-day workshops on psychological practice, education, science, and research in areas including ethics, assessment, trauma, geriatrics, and technology in psychology.
Last updated 02/01/2013
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Tips for Talking With and Helping Children and Youth Cope After a Disaster or Traumatic Event
A Guide for Parents, Teachers and Care-Givers.
Immediate Disaster Response: Hurricane Sandy-Disaster Behavioral Health Information Series (DBHIS)
This installment of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Disaster Behavioral Health Information Series (DBHIS) focuses on first responders and, currently, Hurricane Sandy.
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