University of Florida psychologists publish manual to help communities prepare for mental health issues in disaster situations

In the wake of Sept. 11, 2001, most communities have increased efforts to prepare for possible disasters. But many preparedness efforts do not consider mental health issues, caution University of Florida experts.

A new manual, edited by psychologists at UF’s National Rural Behavioral Health Center, provides comprehensive information to help community leaders and professionals consider psychological issues when preparing for natural or human-made disasters.

“Triumph Over Tragedy, Second Edition: A Community Response to Managing Trauma in Times of Disaster and Terrorism” was designed for quick and efficient use by mental health professionals, health-care providers, law enforcement officers, emergency medical personnel, educators, Cooperative Extension office staff, and government and community leaders.

The manual was edited by Garret D. Evans, Psy.D., center director and an associate professor of clinical psychology in the UF College of Public Health and Health Professions and UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, and Brenda Wiens, Ph.D., a research assistant professor at the center and in the College of Public Health and Health Professions.

“The manual is based on a synthesis of the relevant literature as well as our personal experiences in assisting communities in response to large-scale disasters over the past decade,” Evans said. “‘Triumph Over Tragedy’” is constructed so that readers can use it as a comprehensive resource for pre- and post-disaster response education or as a resource kit for immediate community response.”

“Triumph Over Tragedy, Second Edition” expands on the editors’ first edition, which was narrowly focused on natural disasters and post-disaster stress. The new edition includes information on all types of disasters, including human-made and terrorist events. Hundreds of manuals have been provided to Cooperative Extension offices across the country and key stakeholders in community response to crises.

“‘Triumph Over Tragedy’” is unique because it covers a broad range of behavioral and mental health factors encountered during disaster and terrorism events,” Wiens said. “Also, there is a substantial emphasis on community functioning and how to communicate with a community in times of disaster, especially in circumstances involving terrorism that result in high levels of fear and uncertainty. In addition, the curriculum is designed for training purposes so that community professionals can use the materials to train other professionals and volunteers.”

Topics covered in the manual include helping communities prepare for a disaster and information on assisting communities to manage information, work with the media and respond to psychological reactions in the immediate wake of a disaster. Also included are strategies for providing assistance to individuals who may suffer from post-disaster stress or secondary trauma. The long-term recovery section discusses the role of lasting changes such as economic and social impacts and individual and community mental health over time, with materials on coping with loss and survivor’s guilt, threats to belief systems, depression and anxiety and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

Work on the manual was supported by a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration awarded to Ronald Rozensky, Ph.D., principal investigator and chairman of the College of Public Health and Health Professions’ department of clinical and health psychology. Additional funding was provided by the Suwannee River Area Health Education Center.

Copies of “Triumph Over Tragedy, Second Edition” can be ordered from the center’s Web site, www.nrbhc.org.