Disaster Response Resources

The Disaster Response Committee of the Iowa Psychological Association has compiled the following resources from various organizations. Please note, none of the information included represents original content created by the Iowa Psychological Association.

Table of Contents:

1. General Disaster Resources
2. General Resources for Providers
1. General Disaster Mental Health Resources for Providers
2. Psychological First Aid – Resources
3. Psychological First Aid- Trainings and Webinars
   
3. Resources for Specific Disaster-Related Events
1. Tornadoes, Hurricanes, Floods, Earthquakes, and Fires
2. Mass Shootings
3. Acts of Terrorism
4. COVID-19 and the Ongoing Pandemic
4. Impact of War and International Displaced Children and Families
5. Resources on Disaster, Equity and Inclusion and Disaster Response

General Disaster Resources

Disaster-Related Hotlines

• Disaster Distress Helpline (SAMHSA):  The Disaster Distress Helpline, 1-800-985-5990, is a 24/7, 365-day-a-year, national hotline dedicated to providing immediate crisis counseling for people who are experiencing emotional distress related to any natural or human-caused disaster.

• Red Cross Virtual Assistance Center: You can connect with the Red Cross immediately by calling 1-833-492-0094. There is a "request a call" button on this website where anyone can request a call from Red Cross volunteers trained in behavioral health, spiritual care, and health services.

• Crisis Hotlines and Resources (American Psychological Association)

General Disaster-Related Articles

• Recovering emotionally from a disaster (American Psychological Association)
• In the Aftermath of Disaster (American Red Cross)
• How to Cope with Sheltering in Place (SAMHSA)
• Age-Related Reactions to a Traumatic Event (The National Child Traumatic Stress Network)
• Assisting Parents and Caregivers in Coping with Collective Traumas (The National Child Traumatic Stress Network)

General Resources for Providers

General Disaster Mental Health Resources for Providers:

• Disaster Fact Sheets (Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress) 
• Handouts for Survivors (National Center for PTSD)
• Disaster Events Fact Sheets - resources for specific disasters (Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress)
• Tips for Healthcare Professionals: Coping With Stress and Compassion Fatigue (SAMHSA)
• SAMHSA Disaster Mobile App: This free SAMHSA Disaster App offers first responders immediate access for any type of traumatic event at every phase of response, including pre-deployment preparation, on-the-ground assistance and post-deployment resources.

Psychological First Aid - Resources:

• Disaster mental health information for psychologists (American Psychological Association)
• Psychological First Aid: Field Operations Guide (National Center for PTSD)
• Emergency Responders: Tips for taking care of yourself (Centers for Disease Control)
• Psychological First Aid Guide (Australian Psychological Society/Australian Red Cross)
• About PFA (The National Child Traumatic Stress Network)
• Psychological First Aid Mobile App (National Center for PTSD)

Psychological First Aid - Trainings and Webinars:

• Webinar: Psychological First Aid in Regional Disaster Health Operations (R7DHRE): 
• A free, one-hour webinar on Psychological First Aid (PFA) facilitated by Dr. Jerry Walker.
• Free, five-hour Psychological First Aid Training offered by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. 
• Psychological First Aid (PFA) Online is a 5-hour interactive online course that helps participants learn the core actions of PFA and describes ways to apply them in different post-disaster scenarios and with different survivor needs. Offers certification of completion with 5 CEs upon completion.
• Psychological First Aid for Schools (PFA-S). 
• This webinar offers information on how PFA-S helps to reduce the distress that school communities can experience after a disaster or violent event. 
• Psychological First Aid with Amy Nitza (Institute for Disaster Mental Health): A free webinar available on YouTube.

Resources for Specific Disaster-Related Events

Tornadoes, Hurricanes, Floods, Earthquakes, and Fires

Tornadoes and Hurricanes

• Managing traumatic stress: After a tornado (American Psychological Association)
• Tornadoes and Severe Storms (SAMHSA)
• Responding to Natural Disasters and Extreme Weather (Centers for Disease Control)
• Hurricanes and Other Tropical Storms (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Hurricanes (Ready.gov)
• Tornado Response for Kids: Right After a Tornado (The National Child Traumatic Stress Network)
• 10 Tornado Safety Tips to Keep Kids Safe (Save the Children)
• Tornado Response for Teens: Right After a Tornado (The National Child Traumatic Stress Network)
• Parent Guidelines for Helping Children after a Hurricane (The National Child Traumatic Stress Network)
• Tornadoes, hurricanes, and children (American Psychological Association)

Floods

• Flood Survival Guide (alarms.org)
• APA Flood Resources (American Psychological Association)
• Managing flood-related distress by building resilience (American Psychological Association)
• Flooding & Natural Disaster Response Resources (Society of Counseling Psychology)
• What to Do (and NOT Do) During a Flood (The Weather Channel)
• 10 Tips for Keeping Children Safe in a Flood (Save the Children)
• Hurricanes & Floods: Taking Care of Your Children and Yourself (Healthy Children.org)

Earthquakes

• Managing Distress about Earthquakes from Afar (American Psychological Association; 2011).
• Earthquakes (SAMHSA).

Wildfires

• Wildfires and Your Safety (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Recovering from wildfires (American Psychological Association)
• Managing Stress After a Wildfire (American Psychological Association)
• Safety Guidelines: After a Wildfire (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Parent Guidelines for Helping Children Impacted by Wildfires (National Child Traumatic Stress Network)

House Fires

• Home fires (Ready.org)
• Recovering emotionally after a residential fire (American Psychological Association)
• Picking up the pieces after a fire (American Red Cross)
• Recovering After a Fire (American Red Cross)
• Children and Home Fires (American Red Cross)
• Parent Guidelines for Helping Children Impacted by Arson and Home Fires (National Child Traumatic Stress Network)

Mass Shootings

General Resources for Coping After a Mass Shooting

• Managing your distress in the aftermath of a shooting (American Psychological Association)
• Incidents of Mass Violence (SAMHSA)
• APA Resources for coping with mass shootings, understanding gun violence (American Psychological Association)
• The Impact of Disaster and Mass Violence Events on Mental Health (National Center for PTSD)
• Coping with Stress Following a Mass Shooting Fact Sheet (Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress)
• Mass Shooting Resources (Society of Counseling Psychology)

Resources for Parents and Teachers

• Restoring a Sense of Safety in the Aftermath of a Mass Shooting: Tips for Parents and Professionals (Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress)
• Care for Caregivers: Tips for Families and Educators (National Association of School Psychologists)
• Helping your children manage distress in the aftermath of a shooting (American Psychological Association)
• Parent Guidelines for Helping Youth after the Recent Shooting (The National Child Traumatic Stress Network)
• Video: Caring for Kids After a School Shooting (Child Mind Institute)
• Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers (National Association of School Psychologists)
• How to talk to children about difficult news (American Psychological Association)

Resources for Providers

• Restoring a Sense of Safety in the Aftermath of a Shooting: Tips for Parents and Professionals (The National Child Traumatic Stress Network)
• Gun Violence: Prediction, Prevention, and Policy (American Psychological Association)
• Gun Violence Prevention (American Psychological Association)

Acts of Terrorism

• Building resilience to manage indirect exposure to terror (American Psychological Association)
• Helping Children Cope With Terrorism - Tips for Families and Educators (National Association of School Psychologists). These resources are available in several languages (Amharic, Chinese, English, French, Korean, Spanish, Vietnamese).

COVID-19 and the Ongoing Pandemic

• COVID-19: Managing Stress in this Anxious Time (Institute for Disaster Mental Health)
• How to Deal With the Frustration That the COVID-19 Pandemic Isn’t Over Yet: 10 ways to manage stress as the pandemic lingers (Cleveland Clinic)
• Video: Caring for Yourself While Caring for Others During the Pandemic: Self-Care and Stress Inoculation (Institute for Disaster Mental Health)

Impact of War and International Displaced Children and Families

• Psychological First Aid for Displaced Children and Families (The National Child Traumatic Stress Network) For providers working with any displaced children and their families. 
• Psychological First Aid for Unaccompanied Children (The National Child Traumatic Stress Network) 
• Resources Related to Refugee & Immigrant Trauma (The National Child Traumatic Stress Network)
• War and Disaster Resources
• Understanding Refugee Trauma: For Mental Health Professionals (The National Child Traumatic Stress Network)

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Disaster Resources

• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Disaster Planning and Response (SAMHSA).
• Cultural and Population Sensitivity in Disaster Behavioral Health Programs (SAMHSA).
• Mental Health and Our Changing Climate Impacts, Inequities, Responses (American Psychological Association).
• Inclusivity is Key for Emergency Planning and Response (Centers for Disease Control, 3/14/2023).

Updated on 6/12/2024. Note, all resources contained in this list were collected from other organizations or websites and do not contain original content created by the Iowa Psychological Association.