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Disaster Mental Health Strategies for a Radiation Emergency

Bridging the Gaps: Public Health and Radiation Emergency Preparedness Summit 3.22.11 - 3.24.11Atlanta, Georgia

Rob Yin, LISWManager, Disaster Mental Health

National American Red Cross

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American Red Cross Disaster Relief Humanitarian and independent organization w/

Congressional charter to provide disaster preparedness, response and recovery

Volunteers in 600 chapters respond to 70,000 disasters every year

Disaster mental health (DMH) cadre = 4,000 independently-licensed, master’s level (or higher)

DMH provides crisis intervention, triage, assessment, mental health surveillance, public MH messaging and psychological first aid

NTSB MOU with Red Cross to provide support to families after transportation disasters (1996 Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act)

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Radiation Event: Unique Stressors and Challenges

Fear, uncertainty and anxiety over short- and long-term health effects Increased levels of depression, anxiety & somatic symptoms Demand for physical & mental health services exceeds capacity

Surge in medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS; “worried well”)

Critical safety info (e.g., exposure) is difficult to understand and ever-changing

Family members and children are separated Routines and community support networks are significantly disrupted Communication systems are overwhelmed Large number of self-evacuees make movement of response assets difficult Responders face difficult situations & decisions (helping others vs. own long

term health) Exposed population experiences social stigma

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Resilience, PFA, Surveillance & Force Health Protection

DISASTER MENTAL HEALTH

ALL DISASTER RESPONDERS

COMMUNITY MEMBERS

STATE AND LOCAL HEALTH & MENTAL HEALTH ASSETS

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COMMUNITY MEMBERS

Planning Phase Community members taught “neighbor-to-neighbor”

PFA and resilience skills New Red Cross course: Coping in Today’s World:

Psychological First Aid and Resilience for Families, Friends & Neighbors

– Pilots in the Gulf region and CA– Curriculum for school personnel in development

Response/Recovery Increased resilience and support provided to adults

and children during response and recovery Continued community PFA and resilience training Family members reconnect via Safe & Well Linking

website (www.redcross.org)

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ALL DISASTER RESPONDERSPlanning Phase Disaster PFA training w/ PsySTART triage for all responders

– Emotional support and triage “force multiplier”– Exposure-based risk factors (“Saw/heard death or serious

injury”)– Highly predictive, especially in contrast to transient symptoms

Force health protection (FHP):– FHP training for workers, supervisors & leaders – Coping & resilience-building brochures & messaging– Pre-deployment screening tool (in development)– Post-deployment support-guidance and screening tool– “Just-in-time” stress inoculation training (in development)

Response/Recovery Increased resilience and quality of work resulting from FHP Increased PFA support (in-person and telephonic) Evidence-based triage used for rapid and prioritized

referrals

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DISASTER MENTAL HEALTH Planning Phase PFA and resilience training for community members Disaster PFA (w/ PsySTART triage) training for responders MH surveillance planning with all MH response partners Force Health Protection activities (pre-deployment) Embed w/ media teams & promote broad public MH

messaging– All-hazards (coping with shelter-in-place emergencies)– Templates for event-specific messaging for later use

Response/Recovery Just-in-time stress inoculation training (event specific) Standardized MH surveillance for “common operating

picture” Support reception & post-decontamination sites (cold zone) PFA & resilience training for community members Force Health Protection (deployment and post-deployment) Promote event-specific public MH messaging (social media)

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STATE & LOCAL HEALTH & MENTAL HEALTH ASSETS

Planning Phase Engage in mental health surveillance planning and

exercising Train crisis response teams in Disaster PFA and triage Promote public MH messaging (social media) Support community PFA and resilience training

Response/Recovery Mental health surveillance = common operating picture

= efficient allocation of MH resources MH providers receive rapid referrals for those at

greatest risk Public MH messages help people cope & build resilience Ongoing community PFA and resilience training assists

with disaster recovery efforts

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Resilience, PFA, Surveillance & Force Health Protection

DISASTER MENTAL HEALTH Promote Force Health

Protection PsySTART triage/referral MH surveillance PFA & resilience training Embed w/ Public Affairs

teams ALL DISASTER RESPONDERS Provide PFA, triage & rapid referral (“force multiplier”) Increased resilience via force health protection

COMMUNITY MEMBERS Increased resilience “Neighbor-to-Neighbor PFA

support

STATE & LOCAL HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH ASSETS

Participate in MH surveillance Receive rapid referrals of high risk clients Promote timely and appropriate public MH messaging Support community PFA & resilience training

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Neighbor-to-Neighbor PFA & Resilience

Disaster PFA

Psychological First Aid: Helping Others in Times of Stress

Military FamiliesPFA & Resilience

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For More Information:

Rob Yin, LISWManager, Disaster Mental Health

National American Red Cross

yinr@usa.redcross.org(202) – 303 - 4036

Find your local Red Cross chapter:https://www.redcross.org