Disaster psychology, as discussed here, focuses on how best to address survivors’ emotional needs immediately following a man-made or natural disaster.  The first step is the development and training of what we term a Human Services Disaster Response Team (HSDRT).  The primary purpose of a HSDRT is to provide psychological first aid to disaster survivors and first responders within the first 72 hours post disaster impact. The second purpose of a HSDRT is to help assess a community’s mental health needs after a disaster so that appropriate programs can be developed and put in place during the intermediate phase post disaster.

How does one do that, build a HSDRT?  Is there a road map for prospective, new, and/or established HSDRTs to follow as they progress from concept through program planning, implementation, operation, and evaluation?

For the last three months we at CMC, Inc., working hand in hand with representatives of the ODMHSAS, have written such a road map.  We have developed a Workbook and a PowerPoint presentation which is to be used in a one-day training with prospective members of a HSDRT.  The one-day training is designed only to initiate the development process.  Prospective team members will need to continue the development process as well as obtain further training, particularly in disaster related service techniques such as Psychological First Aid. 

There are several unique aspects to the Workbook.  First, it is to be used in an interactive manner, since the initial training is based upon the potential team working through six exercises. 

These exercises are entitled:

• Team Exercise #1 (Mission Statement);
• Team Exercise #2 (Organizational Structure);
• Team Exercise #3 (Recruitment);
• Team Exercise #4 (Policies & Procedures);
• Team Exercise #5 (Training); and
• Team Exercise #6 (Our Next Action Steps). 

Second, the Workbook has a set of appendices which has as many pages as the Workbook proper.  Each of the 50 states designated disaster mental health coordinators was contacted and requested to share his or her state’s disaster response team’s development and training program.  Not everyone responded, perhaps because not every state has such a program.  But of those that did, we took from the material they provided what we felt were good examples and placed them in the Workbook’s appendices. 

A caveat: more than likely some of the activities discussed in the Workbook may not apply to all HSDRT.  Likewise, key activities for your particular situation may have been left out.  Each HSDRT must determine the most appropriate structure, functions, policies, and procedures based upon its own unique situation.  However, hopefully, our work will provide you with a place to begin.  Good luck.

The publication entitled Workbook: Developing and Managing a Human Services Disaster Response Team in Your Community can be downloaded here.  The companion PowerPoint presentation can be downloaded here.