American Red Cross Disaster Relief

1. Disaster Mental Health Strategies for a Radiation EmergencyBridging the Gaps: Public Health and Radiation Emergency Preparedness Summit 3.22.11 - 3.24.11Atlanta, GeorgiaRob Yin, LISWManager, Disaster Mental HealthNational American Red Cross

2. 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)

3. 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

4. Resilience, PFA, Surveillance & Force Health Protection STATE AND LOCAL HEALTH & MENTAL HEALTH ASSETS DISASTER MENTAL HEALTH COMMUNITY MEMBERS ALL DISASTER RESPONDERS

5. 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)

6. ALL DISASTER RESPONDERS Planning 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

7. DISASTERMENTALHEALTH 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)

8. 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

9. Resilience, PFA, Surveillance & Force Health Protection 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 DISASTER MENTAL HEALTH • Promote Force Health Protection • PsySTART triage/referral • MH surveillance • PFA & resilience training • Embed w/ Public Affairs teams COMMUNITY MEMBERS • Increased resilience • “Neighbor-to-Neighbor PFA support ALL DISASTER RESPONDERS • Provide PFA, triage & rapid referral (“force multiplier”) • Increased resilience via force health protection

10. Military Families PFA & Resilience Neighbor-to-Neighbor PFA & Resilience Disaster PFA Psychological First Aid: Helping Others in Times of Stress

11. For More Information:Rob Yin, LISWManager, Disaster Mental HealthNational American Red Crossyinr@usa.redcross.org(202) – 303 - 4036Find your local Red Cross chapter:https://www.redcross.org