Links
This is a list of links to related websites that you may want to visit. Clicking the link will transfer you to that location. Should you happen to discover a broken link, please contact us via the email link at the bottom of the page.
American Counseling Association
The disaster services portion of the ACA page encourages counselors to become involved with relief efforts and has information about pro-bono services for disaster victims. ACA has a letter of agreement with the American Red Cross encouraging its members to assist with DMH activities.
American Psychiatric Association
The APA is the most recent professional organization to sign a letter of agreement with ARC supporting DMH programs for disaster relief, training, preparedness planning, and recruitment. Their site offers lots of information about these and other APA initiatives.
American Psychological Association
The disaster services portion of the APA page encourages psychologists to become involved with relief efforts and has information about pro-bono services for disaster victims. APA has a letter of agreement with the American Red Cross encouraging its members to assist with DMH activities.
American Radio Relay League (ARRL)
ARRL is the national association for Amateur Radio in the US. Founded in 1914 by Hiram Percy Maxim as The American Radio Relay League, ARRL is a noncommercial organization of radio amateurs. ARRL numbers within its ranks the vast majority of active radio amateurs in the nation and has a proud history of achievement as the standard-bearer in amateur affairs. ARRL’s underpinnings as Amateur Radio’s witness, partner and forum are defined by five pillars: Public Service, Advocacy, Education, Technology, and Membership. ARRL's volunteer Amateur Radio operators help their communities in good times and bad, through community events, disaster response, and various programs.
The ARC pages have general information about the full range of ARC programs and employment opportunities. This site also has frequent updates about the larger disasters for which ARC is providing relief services. Many local ARC chapters also have their own webpages. Check if your chapter has one.
Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement
Have you ever lost a beloved pet? The APLB is a compassionate non-profit organization dedicated to helping people during this very special kind of bereavement. They are involved in improving and publicizing the guidance available to those who would benefit from this. Many of the founders of this organization are established authors and counselors in this developing field. The APLB extends its service as a worldwide clearing house for all information on pet bereavement. They regularly update a list of books on this subject, as well as a registry of those who counsel in this specialized profession. They also produce a quarterly newsletter that contains insightful articles and suggestions that the grieving pet owner or counselor will find very helpful.
Australasian Journal of Disaster & Trauma Studies
This link offers current and previous issues of the journal. Here are some examples of the articles that can be found in this site: The Origins and Natural History of Debriefing; Individual Differences and Debriefing Effectiveness; An Evaluation of Humour in Emergency Work; and Work-related psychological trauma: A social psychological and organizational approach to understanding response and recovery.
David V. Baldwin's Trauma Info
This is the best DMH page that I've found and includes a little bit of everything relating to many different aspects of traumatology. If he wasn't working so hard to keep the information in his pages so current and complete, I'd probably feel compelled to do what he's already doing. It's great stuff! David also volunteers with the ARC DMH team and some of his experiences are included.
Everyone grieves differently, but no one needs to carry grief alone. Whatever loss you are grieving, here you can share your loss with others, and find material that other grieving people have found helpful and comforting. Grieving takes time. Take time to grieve.
Disaster relief workers (sometimes referred to as "crisis junkies") view the world somewhat differently than others who have never gone out on a relief assignment. When disasters are happening and they are not able to be part of the action, they are often found watching CNN (and/or The Weather Channel) for the latest updates.
California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists
The CAMFT Crisis Response Education and Resource Committee provides crisis response and disaster mental health assistance to all mental health professionals. The purpose of the Committee is to support professional development in the field of crisis response by informing mental health professionals about the mission and function of the Committee, presenting historical perspective and foundational concepts, emphasizing the difference between crisis intervention and psychotherapy, suggesting steps for getting started, and delivering current resources for increasing knowledge, enhancing skills, and gaining experience.
Canadian Centre for Emergency Preparedness
CCEP's mandate is to assist communities, governments and private business to prepare for, prevent, respond to, and recover from man-made or natural disasters. In addition to the World Conference on Disaster Management held annually in Hamilton, the CCEP provides emergency planning services to neighboring municipalities, training and professional certification for disaster recovery/business continuity planners and emergency response managers, and is currently establishing an International Emergency Preparedness Training Centre.
CAREGIVERS is a documentary film that shares compelling stories from professionals who provide various kinds of important services to traumatized people. The intention of the film and website is to share the story behind the story of traumatized clients—that is, the impact of the work upon the caregivers—and thereby to significantly improve public awareness in this area as well as understanding among professionals themselves.
Department of Homeland Security
This is a link to the U.S. Government’s Department of Homeland Security disaster preparedness site. There is lots of helpful material to help folks prepare for emergency situations.
The first national hotline dedicated to providing year-round disaster crisis counseling. This toll-free, multilingual, crisis support service is available 24/7 via telephone (1-800-985-5990) and SMS (text 'TalkWithUs' to 66746) to residents in the U.S. and its territories who are experiencing emotional distress related to natural or man-made disasters.Callers and texters are connected to trained and caring professionals from the closest crisis counseling center in the network. Helpline staff provides counseling and support, including information on common stress reactions and healthy coping, as well as referrals to local disaster-related resources for follow-up care and support.
Disaster Mental Health Institute - University of South Dakota
This site provides information about the educational programs and services available via the USD DMH Institute. There is also an extensive list of published DMH reference material. The director and several staff members are very active in relief efforts via the American Red Cross.
DMORT is a program of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that assists local authorities with mortuary assistance during mass fatality incidents. Team members come from many disciplines including: Medical Examiner/Coroners, Forensic Pathologists, Forensic Anthropologists, Fingerprint Specialists, Forensic Odontologists, Funeral Directors/Embalmers, Dental Assistants, X-ray Technicians, Photographic Specialists, Heavy Equipment Operators, Mental Health Specialists, DNA Specialists, Computer Specialists, Medical Records Technicians, Transcriptionists, Administrative support staff, Security personnel, Investigative personnel, Evidence Specialists, and Facility Maintenance Personnel.
DNN is the first comprehensive Internet site of timely news and information about U.S. disaster response and volunteer opportunities. In addition to home page articles about breaking disasters, a unique section of individual disaster news sections continues to provide up-to-date information about each disaster. The first nationwide database of disaster-related volunteer opportunities is also included on the site. The site is sponsored by Church World Service.
Disaster Preparedness and Response
Offers a collection of information and links for disaster plans, policies, and guidelines used by libraries and museums.
Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international medical humanitarian organization working in nearly 70 countries to assist people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe.
Clinical Psychologist, Michael Tunnecliffe’s ESN offers professional development courses and training programs to assist critical incident response planning and staff strategies for dealing with aggressive and challenging behaviors. ESN has been in operation since 1989 and serves organizations throughout Australia and New Zealand.
Executive Session on Domestic Preparedness
ESDP is a standing task force concerned with issues relating to terrorism and emergency management. It is jointly sponsored by the JFK School of Government at Harvard University and the US Department of Justice. Of special interest are their many publications, especially their Perspectives on Preparedness series.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
FEMA is an independent agency of the US federal government. Its mission is: to reduce loss of life and property and protect our nation's critical infrastructure from all types of hazards through a comprehensive, risk-based, emergency management program of mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. Their site contains detailed information about FEMA programs and services.
George Washington University Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and Risk Management
The goal of The Institute is to improve the disaster, emergency, and crisis management plans, actions and decisions of government, corporate, and not-for-profit organizations by transforming theory into practice. The Institute's objectives are to create and teach courses in crisis, disaster, and risk management; conduct research, and create knowledge through its research activities; and disseminate knowledge through education al programs, professional forums, and workshops. The Institute faculty and staff work to facilitate exchanges of crisis management information, knowledge, and best practices among all sectors. The Institute is engaged in both domestic and international endeavors. Established in 1994, the Institute is an interdisciplinary academic center affiliated with the University's School of Engineering and Applied Science, School of Public Health and Health Services, and Elliott School of International Affairs. The capabilities of the Institute are enhanced by its close links with other GW academic and research centers including the Political Psychology Program, the Aviation Institute, the National Crash Analysis Center, the Transportation Research Institute, and the International Institute for Tourism Studies.
Gift from Within is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to those who suffer post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), those at risk for PTSD, and those who care for traumatized individuals. Their philosophy is to rekindle hope and restore dignity to trauma survivors. GFW's Founder, Frank Ochberg, is a former associate director of the National Institute of Mental Health anda psychiatrist who specializes in treating post-traumatic stress disorder and the effects of violence. A unique service is the Gift From Within Support Pal Network. It's a list of women and men who suffer or who have suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The purpose of this service is to give survivors the opportunity to connect (email, regular mail and phone) emotionally with others about what they are feeling and experiencing. This support system also gives survivors the unique opportunity to help others in need and it is not meant to be a substitute for any kind of professional help. While the site's primary interest is in helping survivors cope, they also have resources for professionals.
Green Cross Academy of Traumatology
Charles Figley’s Green Cross offers consultation, training workshops, a journal, and research information. In the event of a disaster or other emergency need, the Green Cross Assistance Program can provide trained traumatology specialists from its worldwide membership to the needed location(s). There is excellent information on trauma and compassion fatigue.
GriefWorks was founded in 1995 by Celia Ryan as a response to the need for specialized grief and loss counseling, informationand education. The site provides help and support to people struggling with loss and the resulting grief. The site offers compassionate understanding and the tools and resources to help folks along the journey of grief.
International Conference of Police Chaplains
Provides helpful information about the specialized pastoral care ministry provided by men and women who serve as police chaplains in law enforcement agencies around the world.
International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF)
This site offers information about the Critical Incident Stress Management programs offered by the Foundation. There is information about debriefing services that the group has provided at various national and international disaster sites. There is also a list of upcoming training dates and locations.
A non-profit resource center originated to offer people inspiration, support and hope while they face challenges, crises, change, unexpected events, obstacles and turning points in their lives.
National Air Disaster Alliance / Foundation
This site offers information about NADA safety initiatives and links to related organizations, including the support groups formed following air disasters. Members are working to raise the standard of safety, security, and survivability for commercial aviation passengers and provide for support of victim's families. NADA is a non-profit organization.
National Association of Social Workers
The NASW website contains general information about the organization and its member services. The 1996 Delegate Assembly adopted a new policy statement and a new program priority "practice advancement" goal supporting social work involvement in disaster relief. NASW and ARC have recently revised their letter of agreement between the two organizations.
National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN)
Treatment centers from all over the United States have come together to form a new coalition, the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN). The Network is being funded by the Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, US Department of Health and Human Services through a Congressional initiative, the Donald J. Cohen National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative. This Congressional initiative recognizes the profound, destructive, and widespread impact of trauma on American children's lives. Its purpose is to improve the quality, effectiveness, provision, and availability of therapeutic services delivered to all children and adolescents experiencing traumatic events. The Network will develop and disseminate effective, evidence-based treatments; collect data for systematic study; and help to educate professionals and the public about the effects of trauma on children.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
NIMH has excellent, free publications and videotapes covering a variety of DMH topics. There is also information about relief services, including grants for research and crisis counseling.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
The National Climatic Data Center of NOAA presents this website entitled "Billion Dollar U.S. Weather Disasters." Covering the period from 1980 to 1998, there is information on the very expensive weather-related disasters that have hit the United States over the past 19 years. As they note, 27 of these disasters occurred during the 1988 -1998 period with total damages/costs exceeding $150 billion.
National Organization on Disability
NOD provides preparedness information including these offerings:
Disaster Readiness Tips for Owners of Pets or Service Animals
Disaster Readiness Tips for People with Developmental or Cognitive Disabilities
Disaster Readiness Tips for People with Mobility Disabilities
Disaster Readiness Tips for People with Sensory Disabilities
National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA)
Founded in 1975, NOVA is a private, nonprofit organization that promotes rights and services for victims of crime and crisis. The site contains information about NOVA's community crisis teams and the related training programs that they offer.
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
The NTSB is an independent Federal agency charged by Congress with investigating every civil aviation accident in the United States and significant accidents in the other modes of transportation - railroad, highway, marine and pipeline - and issuing safety recommendations aimed at preventing future accidents. The NTSB maintains the government's database on civil aviation accidents and also conducts special studies of transportation safety issues of national significance.
National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD)
The purpose of NVOAD is to bring together the various organizations that serve in disaster relief operations, in order to foster cooperation, coordination, communication, and collaboration. The site has links to member organizations and to state VOAD websites. There are also links to other disaster sites.
O'Dochartaigh Associates Disaster Mental Health References and Resources
This site contains an extensive listing of DMH references and numerous links to other DMH sites. There are also several DMH articles available on line. Look to this site for information summarized from a major DMH conference held in Laramie, Wyoming (1999).
The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC)—in coordination with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Office for Victim Assistance and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice for Victims of Overseas Terrorism—developed this Helping Victims of Mass Violence and Terrorism toolkit to help communities prepare for and respond to victims of mass violence and terrorism in the most timely, effective, and compassionate manner possible. Lessons learned from past incidents indicate that through advanced planning (which includes the establishment of victim assistance protocols), and by developing and maintaining multidisciplinary partnerships, communities are better prepared to engage a holistic approach to victim assistance to ensure that each victim’s needs are met. However, this toolkit also contains materials that will aid communities’ responses to victims even if they have not planned for an incident.
Through your support of Delta Society, each year one million lives are touched by the comfort and healing of a therapy animal visit. Across the nation, more than 72 million families experience health benefits by interacting with their pets — benefits Delta Society helped establish and continues to promote. When people in need of a service animal have questions, or people with a service animal encounter obstacles, we are here to help.
Provides disaster behavioral health information and resources to professionals, the general public, States, territories, and local entities for emergency preparedness and disaster response.
The September 11 Digital Archive uses electronic media to collect, preserve, and present the history of the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania and the public responses to them. Funded by a major grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and organized by the American Social History Project at the City University of New York Graduate Center and the Center for History and New Media at George Mason University, the Digital Archive will contribute to the on-going effort by historians and archivists to record and preserve the record of 9/11 by: collecting first-hand accounts of the 9/11 attacks and the aftermath (especially voices currently under-represented on the web), collecting and archiving emails and digital images growing out of these events, organizing and annotating the most important web-based resources on the subject, and developing materials to contextualize and teach about the events. The Digital Archive will also use these events as a way of assessing how history is being recorded and preserved in the twenty-first century and as an opportunity to develop free software tools to help historians to do a better job of collecting, preserving, and writing history in the new century.
Survivors Art Foundation Virtual Gallery
"Healing through Art...Art through Healing" - this site seeks to encourage healing through the arts. Survivors Art Foundation is a nonprofit organization committed to empowering visual, literary and performing artists with effective expressive outlets, via Web Gallery, National Exhibitions, Outreach Programs and Publications. Their goals are to provide entertainment, education, and exposure to the arts, and to raise public awareness, while mainstreaming trauma survivors into the arts. They are expanding their website to include a Children's Web Gallery based on the same principles of our organization. The site includes guidelines for submission.
Therapy Dogs International (TDI®) is a volunteer organization dedicated to regulating, testing and registration of therapy dogs and their volunteer handlers for the purpose of visiting nursing homes, hospitals, other institutions and wherever else therapy dogs are needed.
University of Delaware Disaster Research Center
Begun at Ohio State in 1963, this center was the first social science research facility doing field and survey research on disasters. Teams study groups, organizations, and communities as they prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. The center moved from Ohio State to the University of Delaware in 1985. The site offers information about their program and its current research projects.
Violent Death Bereavement Society
The Violent Death Bereavement Society serves as a centralized forum of information and training for service providers of loved ones and family members after violent death. Their objectives are: to sponsor lectures and workshops for service providers caring for loved ones and family members after violent death; to plan and initiate community-based support services including clinical guidelines for support, screening and focused interventions; to maintain a national registry of experienced clinicians, service providers and regional experts for consultation; and to maintain an updated resource of research reports and literature on the occurrence, recognition and support of bereavement after violent death.
As noted under "CNN" (listed above), disaster relief workers tend to become addicted to their exciting and rewarding work. Once that occurs, they tend to view the world somewhat differently than others who have never gone out on a relief assignment. When major disasters are happening and they are not able to be part of the action, they are often found to be "wishing-they-were-there" and they spend fair amounts of their free time watching The Weather Channel (and/or CNN) for the latest updates.
Here are some other mental health, social work, and Psychology links that may be of interest:
Association of Social Work Boards
The Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) is the association of boards that regulate social work. ASWB develops and maintains the social work licensing examination used across the country, and is a central resource for information on the legal regulation of social work. ASWB is available to help individual social workers and social work students with questions they may have about licensing and the social work examinations.
Council on Social Work Education
The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) is a nonprofit national association representing over 3,000 individual members as well as graduate and undergraduate programs of professional social work education. Founded in 1952, this partnership of educational and professional institutions, social welfare agencies, and private citizens is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation as the sole accrediting agency for social work education in this country.
Linda Grobman's "The New Social Worker" Online.
The place for social workers on the Net.
Internet Mental Health by Canadians Brian Chow and Phillip Long, M.D.
A free encyclopedia of mental health information.
Pat McClendon's Clinical Social Work Website
Offers information on many health and mental health topics, with emphasis on trauma and survivor issues.
Provides reliable and free mental health information and support.