Behavioral Health Awareness Training for Terrorism and Disasters

Behavioral Health Awareness Training for Terrorism and Disasters focuses on how public health and mental health professionals, first responders, and their community preparedness partners can function at optimal level during disasters and acts of terrorism. Maintaining behavioral health during disasters is a life and death issue.

Course Statistics

This training program for State of Florida professionals was funded by the Florida Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and produced by the Center for Disaster Epidemiology and Emergency Preparedness ( DEEP Center ) at the University of Miami School of Medicine. This science-based curriculum was developed with expert guidance from nationally-renowned leaders in the field of disaster behavioral health.

Course Description
Behavioral Health in Terrorism and Disasters examines the impact of disasters and terrorism on optimal human function in family, community, and occupational roles. Terrorism is a new reality for Americans and terrorism is psychological by design. This course examines the goals of terrorism and the deep and enduring psychological impact from encounter with disaster stressors. The range of human response, across mutiple dimensions is highlighted with a special focus on the propensity for resilience and recovery. Early intervention for both survivors and responders, with emphasis on the application of psychological first aid, is emphasized. Psychosocial issues of special populations and culturally-competent response are highlighted.  

Who should attend?
This training program is designed for public health and mental health personnel who will actively participate in disaster preparedness and response, health care providers, first responders, law enforcement personnel, fire and EMS professionals, and emergency managers.  

Intended Audiences:

  • Administrator/Manager
  • Bioterrorism Coordinator
  • First Responder (EMT/paramedic/fire/rescue/HazMat/etc)
  • Mental Health Professional
  • Nurse
  • Public Health Nurse
  • Public Health Student
  • Public Information Officer
  • Public Safety
  • Rural Health Professionals
  • Social Worker
  • State and/or Local Public Health Workers
  • Support Staff

    Learning objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Identify the behavioral health consequences of disasters and terrorism and the impact on individuals and communities.
  • Compare and contrast stressors associated with natural disasters and with terrorism.
  • Identify the 5 dimensions (signs and symptoms) of human response to disasters.
  • Recognize the predictable course of community response to disasters.
  • Describe the key elements of early behavioral intervention with disaster survivors.
  • Describe the techniques of psychological first aid.
  • Describe disaster stressors and mitigating factors for responders.
  • Describe on-the-job management approaches to minimize distress in responders.
  • Identify the psychological needs of special populations.
  • Identify self-care options for mitigating and managing disaster stress.
  • Identify key components of culturally competent response in disaster settings.

  Program modules

Behavioral Health Awareness Training for Terrorism and Disasters provides a one-day, high-intensity training experience that examines optimal health and function for public health and mental health personnel during times of crisis, disaster, or acts of terrorism. The training program examines the following themes in sequence:

  • Behavioral Health Overview
  • Terrorism
  • Disaster
  • Community Response
  • Stress Response
  • Disaster Survivor Intervention
  • Self-Care
  • Disaster/Emergency Worker Support
  • Special Populations
  • Cross-Cultural Issues
  • Special Issues in Disaster Behavioral Health

Methods of instruction Lecture, discussion, and group exercises will be used to present the concepts of disaster behavioral health and techniques of psychological first aid and allied interventions.

Program Agenda:

08:00 AM Registration
08:30 AM Overview Terrorism Disaster Community Response
10:15 AM Break
10:30 AM Stress Response Survivor Intervention
12:00 PM Lunch
01:00 PM Self-Care Responder Support
02:30 PM Break
02:45 PM Special Populations Cross-Cultural Special Issues
04:00 PM Adjourn

Faculty:

Brian W. Flynn EdD Associate Director, Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences Assistant U.S. Surgeon General (Ret.) Rear Admiral , U.S. Public Health Service Lead federal official for disaster behavioral health from 1980-2002. Point person for behavioral health response at 9/11 Ground Zero, Oklahoma City , and Kenya/Tanzania embassy bombings

James M. Shultz MS, PhD Director, Center for Disaster Epidemiology & Emergency Preparedness ( DEEP Center ) Co-Director, Miami Center for Public Health Preparedness University of Miami School of Medicine