A Quarterly Technical Assistance Journal on Disaster Behavioral Health 

Produced by the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center

2014 | VOLUME 10 | ISSUE 4

IN THIS ISSUE 

 2 A Firefighter Peer Counselor’s 

Three Questions 

 5 Resilience in Joplin (and the 

Healing Power of Butterflies) 

 7 Strength After: The Importance 

of Disaster Behavioral Health 

Responders Staying Engaged 

Throughout Long-Term Recovery 

10 Recommended Resources

11 Upcoming Events

A statue dedicated to the firefighters who lost their lives in New York City on September 11, 2001. Photo: Patsy Lynch/FEMA
The Dialogue is a quarterly technical assistance journal on disaster behavioral health which 

is produced by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Disaster Technical Assistance Center (DTAC). Through the pages of The Dialogue, disaster 

behavioral health professionals share information and resources while examining the 

disaster behavioral health preparedness and response issues that are important to the field. 

The Dialogue also provides a comprehensive look at the disaster training and technical 

assistance services SAMHSA DTAC provides to prepare states, territories, tribes, and local 

entities so they can deliver effective behavioral health (mental health and substance abuse) 

responses to disasters. To receive The Dialogue, please go to SAMHSA’s homepage 

(http://www.samhsa.gov), enter your e-mail address in the “Mailing List” box on the right, 

and mark the checkbox for “SAMHSA’s Disaster Technical Assistance newsletter, The 

Dialogue,” which is listed in the Newsletters section.

SAMHSA DTAC provides disaster technical assistance, training, consultation, resources, 

information exchange, and knowledge brokering to help disaster behavioral health 

professionals plan for and respond effectively to mental health and substance abuse needs 

following a disaster.

To learn more, please call 1-800-308-3515, e-mail DTAC@samhsa.hhs.gov, or visit the 

SAMHSA DTAC website at http://www.samhsa.gov/dtac.

IN THIS ISSUE 

 2 A Firefighter Peer Counselor’s 

Three Questions 

 5 Resilience in Joplin (and the 

Healing Power of Butterflies) 

 7 Strength After: The Importance 

of Disaster Behavioral Health 

Responders Staying Engaged 

Throughout Long-Term Recovery 

10 Recommended Resources

11 Upcoming Events

The Dialogue is not responsible for the information provided by any webpages, materials, or organizations referenced in this publication. Although The Dialogue

includes valuable articles and collections of information, SAMHSA does not necessarily endorse any specific products or services provided by public or private 

organizations unless expressly stated. In addition, SAMHSA does not necessarily endorse the views expressed by such sites or organizations, nor does SAMHSA 

warrant the validity of any information or its fitness for any particular purpose.
2014 | VOLUME 10 | ISSUE 4 | PAGE 1

A Quarterly Technical Assistance Journal on Disaster Behavioral Health 

Produced by the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center

In This Issue

In this issue of The Dialogue, we highlight lessons 

learned in the field and how they contribute to 

post-disaster resilience. Our first article highlights 

a firefighter’s transformation to peer counselor. 

The authors of the next article explain how the 

butterfly garden built after tornadoes struck Joplin, 

Missouri helps residents cope and is a symbol of 

the community’s resilience. In our final article, the 

Director of the National Disaster Distress Helpline 

shares how the helpline enabled responders to stay 

engaged throughout the Hurricane Sandy recovery 

effort. We hope that the information shared by 

these well-informed authors helps you in your own 

planning, response, and recovery efforts. 

Warmest regards,

Nikki Bellamy, Ph.D. 

Public Health Advisor, Emergency Mental Health 

and Traumatic Stress Services Branch

Nikki.bellamy@samhsa.hhs.gov

CDR Erik Hierholzer, B.S.N.

Program Management Officer, Emergency Mental 

Health and Traumatic Stress Services Branch

Erik.hierholzer@samhsa.hhs.gov

April Naturale, Ph.D. 

SAMHSA DTAC Project Director

A quote from a survivor of the 2011 Joplin tornado is on a memorial stone at the Butterfly Garden located at Cunningham Park. Photo: Steve Zumwalt/FEMA
2014 | VOLUME 10 | ISSUE 4 | PAGE 2

A Quarterly Technical Assistance Journal on Disaster Behavioral Health 

Produced by the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center

SPECIAL FEATURE

A Firefighter Peer Counselor’s Three Questions

Contributed by Jim Jeannette, M.S.W., RSW

I worked as a firefighter with the 

Windsor, Ontario, Fire and Rescue 

Services for 32 years, retired as 

a captain, and also served as a 

police constable for some time. I 

currently counsel police and fire 

personnel, as well as members of 

the general public. The main focus 

of my work is with those who 

experience depression, anxiety, and 

posttraumatic stress, the common 

emotional responses to traumatic 

events. My favorite types of 

clients come to me motivated to 

change, saying, “Jim, I can’t live 

like this anymore. Help me fix 

this.” They often make a dramatic 

turnaround, sometimes in just one 

or two sessions. I credit three 

simple questions (and the client’s 

responses) with this level of success.

Many significant events occurred 

during my career that affected my 

life, but two aspects of my career 

stand out. The first was that, with 

the exception of a few lulls, there 

were always fires, a significant 

number of injured people, and 

many fatalities. 

The other was that I was involved 

with the creation of Windsor Fire 

Department’s Stress Committee 

Firefighter pauses to look at wall of fire. Photo: Andrea Booher/FEMA

at a time when few firefighters 

would acknowledge that the job 

was stressful. Today, the program 

is called the Peer Support and 

Critical Incident Stress Team. As I 

reported to many fire calls, officers 

began to see me as wearing two 

hats: firefighter and counselor. 

The benefit for me was helping 

firefighters and obtaining firsthand 

experience at what we now call 

“critical incidents.” Over the years, 

our team learned not only about 

simple things that help responders, 

but also what not to do. 

One morning, I was called to talk 

with a family who had survived 

an apartment fire. The family was 

panicked, according to the officer 

who asked for my help, but I did 

not normally counsel survivors. 

Feeling somewhat unprepared, I 

boarded the Command Post bus 

where the father, mother, and 

teenager were sitting. They all 

yelled at once, saying they did not

continued on page 3
2014 | VOLUME 10 | ISSUE 4 | PAGE 3

A Quarterly Technical Assistance Journal on Disaster Behavioral Health 

Produced by the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center

continued from page 2

want to talk to anyone and did not 

need counseling. They angrily 

shouted that they were never going 

into their apartment again. Not 

certain what to do, and a little 

shaken, I plopped down on the 

bench across from them. I was 

there to respect their wishes. I can 

honestly say that I was not trying to 

do “stealth counseling.” All I asked 

was, “So, what happened?” 

Twenty years later, I still open with 

that question, and it continues to 

work well with emergency services 

personnel. Don’t ask, “How are 

you feeling?” You will likely get a 

confused stare, because emergency 

workers have to keep their emotions 

in check to get the job done safely. 

And it’s likely that they don’t 

know how they are feeling, as their 

training requires that they instead 

focus on the tasks at hand. But 

they do know, for example, if their 

appetites are off, if they are having 

trouble sleeping, or if they have 

been snapping at their spouses more 

than usual.

But back to the bus and the first 

question. “So, what happened?” 

For the next 45 minutes the family 

talked, sometimes in unison, 

sometimes individually. What I 

did very intently was listen and 

occasionally offer calm reassurance. 

As the story was told, voices 

quieted and breathing calmed, until 

the family seemed all but spent. 

They leaned in and began to talk 

quietly with one another. The 

mother finally asked if I would 

accompany them to the apartment 

so they could get some clothes. 

I agreed.

When I later reflected on the event, 

I was surprised by the realization 

that one simple question could 

elicit such a strong response. I was 

also struck by the positive power 

of saying things out loud and how 

it can often diminish the negative 

power of fearful thoughts.

The second question that I ask is, 

“So, what else is going on in your 

life?” Back when I was a rookie, 

when we responded to a house 

fire we pulled up and immediately 

began fire suppression. Later, with 

the implementation of the Incident 

Management System, the tactics 

changed. Now, the captain takes a 

minute to do a perimeter check to 

get a bigger picture of the event. 

Are there downed wires, gas cans 

against the house, or possibly a 

mother with her baby trying to 

climb out of a rear window?

The question “So, what else is 

going on in your life?” is our 

psychological perimeter check. 

As clients review their life events, 

they are often encouraged by the 

realization that their depression or 

anxiety did not just show up for no 

reason. They become aware that 

extraneous events are affecting their 

lives at the same time that they are 

reacting to the traumatic event. 

This realization helps set the stage 

for prioritizing immediate concerns 

and beginning to look at what 

coping skills might be most useful. 

The third question grew out of my 

own battle with anxiety about 26 

years ago. My partner and I rode 

the back of the rescue vehicle on 

a consistent basis. We went from 

busy to insanely busy. The fires got 

worse and the number of fatalities 

increased. After a few months of 

this, an event occurred that changed 

my life.

I was at work in the middle of the 

night, and the alarms kept sounding 

for one of the trucks. As each 

alarm sounded, I found it harder to 

calm down. When one final alarm 

came in, I sat up, short of breath, 

my heart pounding as if it was 

going to explode through my chest. 

I thought that I was having a heart 

attack. I walked around to calm 

myself down and realized that I just 

had a panic attack. I had developed 

an anxiety response to the alarms. 

I never missed work, but I never 

dared talk about it there either.

Having depression or anxiety is 

like being at the bottom of a dark 

hole. Many people think that when 

they feel better, they will climb out 

of the hole. That night, I realized 

that the action of climbing out of 

the hole would help me feel better. 

I began a regimen of using selfcare techniques that proved to be 

successful in eliminating my 

continued on page 4
2014 | VOLUME 10 | ISSUE 4 | PAGE 4

A Quarterly Technical Assistance Journal on Disaster Behavioral Health 

Produced by the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center

continued from page 3

A firefighter displays a flag as part of the National Fallen Firefighters memorial service. Photo: Bill Green/FEMA

anxiety. This brings me to the third 

question that I now ask everyone I 

work with: “What do you do to take 

care of you?”

Often people reply, “Nothing.” 

Thus begins an education in selfcare. I tend to focus on cognitive 

behavioral techniques, ranging from 

challenging cognitive distortions 

to changing destructive behaviors. 

Clients readily grasp techniques 

like focused breathing and 

mindfulness, and they eagerly come 

back to learn about adding new 

tools to strengthen and protect their 

mental health. 

The three questions, “So, what 

happened?”; “What else is going on 

in your life?”; and “What do you 

do to take care of you?” work 

best for me because of my 

experiences both as a firefighter 

and as a counselor. They aid me in 

facilitating help and self-care for 

colleagues and clients. ■
2014 | VOLUME 10 | ISSUE 4 | PAGE 5

Resilience in Joplin 

(and the Healing Power of Butterflies) 

continued on page 6

Contributed by Vicky Mieseler, M.S., Licensed Psychologist, Vice President of Clinical Services, Ozark Center

Following the devastating May 22, 

2011, tornado in Joplin, Missouri, 

the mental health community was 

instantly charged with coming 

up with different ways to address 

the needs of many different 

people. We learned that no one 

organization, agency, or person 

can meet the needs of everyone 

affected by trauma. People react 

differently to disasters, so it’s 

essential to create many and varied 

opportunities for healing. We also 

learned that connecting with others 

is a great way to seek comfort and 

support following a disaster. The 

Butterfly Garden provides Joplin’s 

residents with a unique and unusual 

place to do just that. 

For the residents of Joplin, it 

has been three long years of 

working hard. For us, relaxation 

is a necessity, and the Butterfly 

Garden provides a sacred place 

for us to put ourselves first and 

to help us all feel grounded. In 

addition to providing a soothing, 

relaxing space and serenity, there 

are multiple plaques throughout the 

Overlook that tell the stories of the 

everyday heroes who emerged on 

May 22, 2011, reminding each of 

us about the good that came from 

the devastation. The large waterfall 

divided into 38 segments represents 

the 38 minutes that the tornado was 

on the ground and provides people 

with an opportunity to remember 

the disaster in a more positive 

way. Traumatic stress takes a toll 

on a person’s mental and physical 

health. Approaching healing and 

recovery from many different 

angles is the very reason that the 

City of Joplin is where we are 

today: healthy, strong, and resilient. 

While some aspects of this 

resilience are a part of our culture, 

unique and appealing opportunities 

like the Butterfly Garden further 

developed and enhanced these 

skills and made the journey more 

bearable. 
2014 | VOLUME 10 | ISSUE 4 | PAGE 6

A Quarterly Technical Assistance Journal on Disaster Behavioral Health 

Produced by the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center

continued from page 5

Butterfly Garden in Joplin Will 

Be a Place To Heal 

(by Michele Skalicky, 

Morning Edition Host, KSMU)

Three years ago, on May 22, 2011, 

an EF5 tornado tore through Joplin, 

killing 161 people and destroying 

thousands of homes and businesses. 

The community observed the 

anniversary with the dedication of 

a new garden at Cunningham Park, 

which was directly in the path of 

the tornado. The Butterfly Garden 

and Overlook is a place where 

survivors of the tornado and those 

experiencing any life challenges 

can find solitude—it’s a place to 

reflect and find healing.

Drury University architecture 

students and faculty worked with 

the Joplin community to create the 

garden. It features a 25-foot-long 

water wall as well as two other 

water features—one broken to 

represent Joplin when the tornado 

hit and another put back together to 

represent Joplin today. One faculty 

member explained that storyboards 

tell the tales of how people reacted 

during and immediately after the 

tornado. Many survivors talk about 

how they have a new perspective 

and purpose in life. Other stories 

have a positive spin and show that 

people are ready to move on and 

heal. One way they can do that 

is by writing in the waterproof 

journals that are provided in 

the garden. 

There are also plants that attract 

butterflies, as several children 

have said that butterflies offered 

protection as the storm raged 

around them. Another Drury 

faculty member says one story 

involved a man sheltering his 

daughter. “The tornado was 

coming. The man laid down on his 

daughter to protect her. His shoes 

were just thrown off his feet. 

They were untouched by the 

tornado, and when they got up, he 

said, ‘Are you OK?’ and she said, 

‘We were OK, Daddy. There was 

a butterfly holding us down.’”

Another story came from a 

12-year-old girl who said that a 

butterfly wrapped its wings around 

her when she was torn from her 

home by the tornado, and carried 

her safely to the ground. You can 

read about her experience if you 

visit the garden.

Steel that has been formed into 

what looks like skeleton houses 

represents the homes destroyed in 

the tornado that once stood on the 

site. Drury faculty report that they 

are celebrating a new beginning on 

the anniversary and are hoping to 

tie something positive to the date.

The garden is funded through the 

TKF Foundation, which provided 

money to both Joplin and New 

York City to create open spaces 

for healing and recovery. It’s part 

of Landscapes of Resilience, a 

project to study the role of open 

spaces in recovery from both the 

DISASTER RESPONSE 

TEMPLATE TOOLKIT

The Disaster Response Template 

Toolkit from the SAMHSA 

DTAC Disaster Behavioral 

Health Information Series 

features public education 

materials that disaster behavioral 

health response programs can 

use to create resources for 

reaching people affected by a 

disaster. The Toolkit includes 

print, website, audio, video, 

and multimedia materials that 

programs can use to provide 

outreach, psycho-education, 

and recovery news for disaster 

survivors. Many of the links 

contain sample materials and 

online tools that have been used 

in previous disaster situations 

across the country. The 

templates can also be adapted 

for future use as desired.

http://archive.samhsa.gov/dtac

dbhis/dbhis_templates_intro.asp 

Joplin tornado and Superstorm 

Sandy. Drury students interviewed 

tornado survivors as they worked 

to find stories to share at the park. 

Because they couldn’t all be used, 

they are all permanently housed at 

http://storiesofjoplin.drury.edu. ■
2014 | VOLUME 10 | ISSUE 4 | PAGE 7

A Quarterly Technical Assistance Journal on Disaster Behavioral Health 

Produced by the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center

Strength After: The Importance of Disaster 

Behavioral Health Responders Staying Engaged 

Throughout Long-Term Recovery Contributed by Christian Burgess, Director of the National Disaster Distress Helpline

Hurricane Sandy was the 

deadliest event of the 2012 

Atlantic hurricane/tropical 

storm season, and the secondcostliest hurricane in U.S. history, 

following Hurricane Katrina. 

What the financial costs don’t 

represent are the emotional 

effects that inevitably follow such 

devastating losses, and not just 

in the immediate aftermath, but 

for months or even years after, as 

communities continue to rebuild 

and recover. As reported by crisis 

counselors from the Disaster 

Distress Helpline crisis contact 

centers, emotional impacts specific 

to the Hurricane Sandy long-term 

recovery process have included the 

following: 

• Sadness and depression due 

to loss of home, chronic 

homelessness, or frequent moves 

• 

• 

• 

Anxiety and worry over the 

cost of recovery and rebuilding; 

concerns about job loss due to the 

impact on businesses 

Grief from the death of loved 

ones (including pets) 

Difficulty adjusting to new 

schools, changed neighborhoods, 

and places of worship 

• 

• 

Fear over injuries and other 

health concerns, such as exposure 

to toxic mold or chemicals, 

chronic exhaustion, or fatigue

Anger over lack of resources as 

they phase out or are no longer 

available

continued on page 8

Breezy Point, New York, November 14, 2012. 

U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Ryan J. Courtade/Released.

WEB: http://disasterdistress.samhsa.gov
2014 | VOLUME 10 | ISSUE 4 | PAGE 8

A Quarterly Technical Assistance Journal on Disaster Behavioral Health 

Produced by the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center

Rockaway, New York, November 11, 2012. Photo: Elissa Jun/FEMA.

continued from page 7

There is tremendous resilience 

shown by those affected by 

this disaster. The Hurricane 

Sandy Outreach and Resource 

Development Coordinator for 

the Disaster Distress Helpline 

said, “Almost two years after 

the hurricane, I’ve seen affected 

communities come together and 

rebuild by accessing the resources 

of external providers, and also by 

utilizing their internal resources 

(new or existing) to create stronger 

relationships. Many community 

agencies involved in the response 

assist with ongoing needs while 

also planning for and strengthening 

the capacity to respond to future 

incidents with confidence.”

After Hurricane Sandy and 

during the long-term recovery 

following any natural or humancaused disaster, behavioral 

health responders, like all 

recovery workers, play vital 

roles. The following tips, based 

on challenges encountered and 

lessons learned from the Disaster 

Distress Helpline, can ensure that 

the behavioral health needs of 

survivors, first responders, and 

others at risk for distress during 

long-term recovery continue to be 

addressed in the months and years 

following disaster events. 

1. Challenge: Behavioral health 

is perceived as less of a priority 

in long-term recovery.

Lesson Learned: During down 

time, outreach pays off. 

As the saying goes, “No one 

should exchange business cards on 

the scene of a disaster.” When not 

in the midst of a disaster response, 

seek opportunities for participation 

in your local or state Voluntary 

Organizations Active in Disaster 

(VOAD) chapter, many of which 

have committees that address 

emotional care. Advocate that 

your organization join your VOAD 

chapter. The more that behavioral 

health providers are engaged 

within the larger community 

of stakeholders throughout the 

disaster cycle—not just in the 

immediate response or recovery 

phase—the more that behavioral 

health issues will remain visible 

and seen as a priority. Learn more 

about the VOAD movement at 

http://www.nvoad.org.

2. Challenge: Those at risk 

for disaster distress during 

long-term recovery can be 

hard to find. 

Lesson Learned: Long-term 

recovery groups are valuable 

resources for connecting with 

survivors.

Services (e.g., shelters and 

assistance centers) understandably 

begin to phase down at the 

transition to long-term recovery, 

but this can challenge providers 

seeking to engage with survivors 

because these venues offer 

accessibility and visibility. In 

reality, community hubs for 

recovery just shift over time. 

Long-term recovery groups, 

or LTRGs, are independent 

community groups that often form 

continued on page 9
2014 | VOLUME 10 | ISSUE 4 | PAGE 9

A Quarterly Technical Assistance Journal on Disaster Behavioral Health 

Produced by the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center

continued from page 8

Union Beach, New Jersey, November 14, 2012. Photo: Liz Roll/FEMA

after a disaster. Many LTRGs are 

formed in partnership with VOAD 

chapters or local government 

entities and may even become 

incorporated themselves. An 

Unmet Needs Roundtable (UNR) 

is also often formed as immediate 

response agencies end their 

disaster-related activities. UNR 

activities are usually organized 

by one coordinating agency, 

with participation from diverse 

providers engaged in disaster case 

management and other long-term 

recovery work. A UNR can be 

a great resource for behavioral 

health providers looking to stay 

visible among survivors within 

disaster-affected communities. 

3. Challenge: Survivors’ voices 

too often become silenced during 

long-term recovery.

Lesson Learned: Empower 

survivors to share their “strength 

after” stories.

As many survivors continue to 

struggle in the years following a 

disaster, others who have achieved 

a certain degree of recovery—

marked by diminished distress 

symptoms, a successful integration 

of their traumatic experience into 

their life story, and other factors—

have much to offer, not only to 

behavioral health providers (so 

that we can improve our services), 

but also to other survivors via 

peer support. Like survivors of 

other traumatic or life-altering 

experiences, from abuse and 

bereavement to suicide and mental 

illness, there is much power in 

survivors helping survivors. 

Behavioral health providers can 

and have played important roles in 

connecting survivors as a means to 

promote messages of strength and 

healing during long-term recovery. 

We can also work to incorporate 

survivors’ voices into preparedness 

and response services when new 

disasters occur.

The Disaster Distress Helpline is a 

SAMHSA program that guarantees 

access for everyone in the United 

States and its territories to 24/7 

crisis counseling and support 

throughout all phases of natural 

and human-caused disasters. 

Learn more about the 

Disaster Distress Helpline at

http://disasterdistress.samhsa.gov .■
2014 | VOLUME 10 | ISSUE 4 | PAGE 10

A Quarterly Technical Assistance Journal on Disaster Behavioral Health 

Produced by the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

NEW! Disaster Substance Abuse 

Services: Planning and Preparedness

This podcast helps disaster behavioral health coordinators and others who work 

with people who have substance abuse issues to understand the importance of 

disaster planning and preparedness.

This podcast can be found at http://bit.ly/DisSubAbuse. ■

Post-Disaster Retraumatization: 

Risk and Protective Factors

This podcast informs disaster behavioral health professionals about 

the concepts and signs of retraumatization and associated risk and 

protective factors, and highlights promising treatment strategies and 

tips for avoiding retraumatization. 

This podcast can be found at http://bit.ly/Retraum. ■

Understanding Compassion Fatigue 

and Compassion Satisfaction: Tips for 

Disaster Responders

This podcast can help disaster behavioral health professionals learn about 

the positive and negative effects of helping disaster survivors. 

This podcast can be found at http://bit.ly/CompFatigue. ■

Cultural Awareness: Children and 

Youth in Disasters

This podcast can help disaster behavioral health responders provide 

culturally aware and appropriate services for children, youth, and 

families affected by natural and human-caused disasters. 

This podcast can be found at http://bit.ly/YouthInDisaster. ■
2014 | VOLUME 10 | ISSUE 4 | PAGE 11

A Quarterly Technical Assistance Journal on Disaster Behavioral Health 

Produced by the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center

continued on page 12

Upcoming Events

CONFERENCES

19th International Conference and Summit on 

Violence, Abuse, and Trauma

September 7–10, 2014; San Diego, California

This conference brings together researchers, practitioners, 

advocates, and professionals from other disciplines to learn 

about and exchange information on violence, abuse and 

prevention, intervention, and research. The theme of this 

year’s conference is “Linking Research, Practice, Advocacy 

& Policy: Collaboration and Commitment for Change,” and 

session topic tracks include trauma, persons with disabilities, 

elder abuse, and children exposed to violence. 

http://www.cvent.com/events/19th-internationalconference-summit-on-violence-abuse-and-trauma/

event-summary-78f223ed38994d338b0e7277580ecb18.

aspx?RefID=19IVATConf 

International Critical Incident Stress Foundation 

Regional Conference

October 22–16, 2014; Chicago, Illinois

This regional conference will bring together disaster 

behavioral health professionals to attend up to three courses 

and earn continuing education units. Course options include 

advanced individual crisis intervention and peer support, 

group crisis intervention, pastoral crisis intervention, and a 

strategic response to crisis. 

https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/

Default.aspx?EventID=1549772 

International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies 

30th Annual Meeting

November 6–8, 2014; Miami, Florida

The theme of this year’s conference is “Healing Lives 

and Communities: Addressing the Effects of Childhood 

Trauma Across the Life Span.” Speakers will highlight 

new developments in the field and synthesize current 

understanding of the impact of childhood trauma on health 

and well-being across the life span to consider how families, 

communities, and culture relate to childhood trauma and 

its effects.

http://www.istss.org//AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home1 

2014 International Association of Emergency 

Managers Annual Conference 

November 14–19, 2014; San Antonio, Texas

This conference will provide a forum for stakeholders from 

all levels of government, the private sector, and public health 

and related disciplines in the fields of disaster preparedness 

and homeland security to discuss current topics, share 

tools and technology, and collaborate to develop practical 

solutions to protect individuals from disasters. 

http://www.iaem.com/page.cfm?p=events/annualconference

American Public Health Association 

142nd Annual Meeting and Exposition 

November 15–19, 2014; New Orleans, Louisiana

The theme of this year’s conference is “Healthography: 

How Where You Live Affects Your Health and Well-Being.” 

The purpose of this conference is to unite the public health 

community in order to enhance knowledge and support 

exchange of information on best practices, the latest 

research, and new trends in public health.

http://www.apha.org/meetings/annual

SAMHSA DTAC WEBINARS 

AND PODCASTS

 Great news! All SAMHSA DTAC webinars and 

podcasts can now be found on SAMHSA’s YouTube 

page (http://www.youtube.com/user/SAMHSA) and the 

SAMHSA DTAC playlist (http://bit.ly/DTACVideos). On 

the following pages, we provide summaries of and links to 

all SAMHSA DTAC webinars and podcasts.
2014 | VOLUME 10 | ISSUE 4 | PAGE 12

A Quarterly Technical Assistance Journal on Disaster Behavioral Health 

Produced by the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center

WEBINARS AND PODCASTS continued from page 11

NEW! Disaster Substance Abuse Services: 

Planning and Preparedness

This podcast helps disaster substance abuse coordinators 

and others who work with people who have substance 

abuse issues understand the importance of disaster planning 

and preparedness. 

http://bit.ly/DisSubAbuse

Introduction to Disaster Behavioral Health

The goal of this webinar is to educate participants about the 

mental health, substance abuse, and stress management 

needs of people who have been exposed to human-caused, 

natural, or technological disasters. 

http://bit.ly/introDBH

Applying Cultural Awareness to Disaster 

Behavioral Health

Participants in this webinar will learn more about tools that 

they can use to assess and strengthen cultural awareness 

practices in disaster behavioral health services.

http://bit.ly/cultureDBH

Cultural Awareness: Children and Youth in Disasters 

Information provided in this 60-minute podcast can help 

disaster behavioral health (DBH) responders provide 

culturally aware and appropriate DBH services for children, 

youth, and families affected by natural and humancaused disasters. 

http://bit.ly/YouthInDisaster 

Deployment Supports for Disaster Behavioral 

Health Responders 

Disaster behavioral health responders and their family 

members can use the guidelines in this podcast to help 

prepare for the stress of deployment and reintegration into 

regular work and family life. 

http://bit.ly/DBHresponders 

Helping Children and Youth Cope in the Aftermath 

of Disasters: Tips for Parents and Other Caregivers, 

Teachers, Administrators, and School Staff

This podcast was designed to inform parents and other 

caregivers, teachers and other school staff, and behavioral 

health professionals about the kinds of responses to expect 

in children and youth in the aftermath of disasters, such as 

school shootings, and to help determine when a child or youth 

exposed to a disaster may need mental health services. 

http://bit.ly/HelpingYouthCope 

Disaster Planning: Integrating Your Disaster 

Behavioral Health Plan

The speakers explain how states, territories, and tribes can 

update and integrate their disaster behavioral health plans 

with their overarching disaster response plans.

http://bit.ly/DBHplan 

Self-Care for Disaster Behavioral Health Responders

Disaster behavioral health responders can learn about 

best practices and tools that could enable them and their 

supervisors to identify and effectively manage stress and 

secondary traumatic stress in this 60-minute podcast.

http://bit.ly/DBHselfcare

Mass Casualty: Support and Response 

This webinar shares information about emotional reactions 

to mass casualty events, addresses what Medical Reserve 

Corps team members, Commissioned Corps officers, and 

other responders may encounter in the field during a crisis 

event, and familiarizes participants with related disaster 

behavioral health resources available through SAMHSA.

http://bit.ly/MassCasualty

Introduction to Promising Practices in Disaster 

Behavioral Health Planning 

Participants of this webcast will learn about promising 

practices in disaster behavioral health planning, and 

speakers will share successful examples that have been 

implemented in the field.

http://bit.ly/DBHpractices

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A Quarterly Technical Assistance Journal on Disaster Behavioral Health 

Produced by the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center

WEBINARS AND PODCASTS continued from page 12

Promising Practices in Disaster Behavioral Health 

Planning: Building Effective Partnerships

Participants in this webcast will learn about building 

effective working relationships with federal, state, and local 

government, as well as nongovernment partners, when 

developing a comprehensive disaster behavioral health plan.

http://bit.ly/EffectivePartnerships

Promising Practices in Disaster Behavioral Health 

Planning: Financials and Administration Operations

The speakers in this webinar identify policies, procedures, 

and promising practices in financial and administrative 

operations in disaster behavioral health before, during, and 

after a disaster.

http://bit.ly/FinanceAndAdmin

Promising Practices in Disaster Behavioral Health 

Planning (DBHP): Implementing Your DBHP

The speakers explain how states, territories, and tribes can 

update and integrate their disaster behavioral health plans 

with their overarching disaster response plans.

http://bit.ly/DBHPimplementation

Promising Practices in Disaster Behavioral Health 

Planning: Plan Scalability

In this webinar, speakers provide information and examples 

about the elements of a scalable disaster behavioral 

health plan and identify promising practices in process 

development, standard operating procedures, and 

instructions that should be in place before a disaster. 

http://bit.ly/PlanScalability

Promising Practices in Disaster Behavioral Health 

Planning: Assessing Services and Information

Participants will learn about promising practices in assessing 

services, resources (e.g., equipment and personnel), and 

information before, during, and after a disaster.

http://bit.ly/AccessingServices

Promising Practices in Disaster Behavioral Health 

Planning: Logistical Support

This webinar features a presentation on effective logistical 

support systems, including identification of training 

mechanisms for response personnel and utilization 

of volunteers.

http://bit.ly/LogisticalSupport

Promising Practices in Disaster Behavioral Health 

Planning: Legal and Regulatory Authority

Participants will learn about the elements of legal and 

regulatory authority at the federal, state, and local levels, 

including issues of responders’ liabilities, informed 

consent, confidentiality, development of memoranda of 

understanding, and/or mutual aid agreements.

http://bit.ly/LegalAuthority

ADDITIONAL WEBINARS AND 

PODCASTS

State of All Hazards Preparedness for 

Children: Partnerships & Models for Merging 

Emergency Department & Disaster 

Preparedness Efforts Nationwide 

This webcast by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau 

within the Health Resources and Services Administration 

features resources and tools for pediatric disaster planning, 

lessons learned from the H1N1 pandemic, and perspectives 

from national stakeholders and partners in planning. 

http://learning.mchb.hrsa.gov/archivedWebcastDetail.

asp?id=222

TRAININGS

Early Responders Distance Learning Center 

The Early Responders Distance Learning Center of Saint 

Joseph’s University creates and administers accredited 

courses for the emergency response community on preparing 

for and responding to terrorist incidents. The courses offer a 

specialized focus on psychological perspectives and issues. 

http://erdlc.sju.edu

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A Quarterly Technical Assistance Journal on Disaster Behavioral Health 

Produced by the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center

TRAININGS continued from page 13

FEMA Online Courses 

FEMA offers free independent study courses that can 

be completed for continuing education units. Courses 

cover topics such as emergency preparedness, 

development and management of volunteers, and 

the Incident Command System. 

http://training.fema.gov/IS

Johns Hopkins Public Health Preparedness 

Programs: Mental Health Preparedness Trainings 

The Johns Hopkins Preparedness and Emergency Response 

Learning Center has developed a variety of mental health 

preparedness trainings that are available online:

• 

• 

• I

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Disaster Mental Health Intervention

Disaster Mental Health Planning

ntroduction to Mental Health and Disaster Preparedness

Mental Health Consequences of Disaster

Psychological First Aid Competencies for 

Public Health Workers

Psychology and Crisis Response

Psychology of Terrorism

Roots of Terrorism

Self-Care

http://www.jhsph.edu/preparedness/training/online/

mentalhealth_trainings

Massachusetts Environmental Health Association 

Disaster Behavioral Health Training 

The Massachusetts Environmental Health Association has 

developed several disaster behavioral health trainings that 

are available online:

• 

• 

• 

• 

Disaster Behavioral Health

Psychological First Aid: Helping People Cope During 

Disasters and Public Health Emergencies

Psychological First Aid in Radiation Disasters

Psychological Issues Following Disasters

http://www.mehaonline.net/member-services/trainingresources-videos/56-disaster-behavioral-health-training

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network 

(NCTSN) Psychological First Aid Online Course 

The NCTSN Learning Center is an online training center 

geared toward professionals and families seeking to 

learn more about child traumatic stress. Many resources 

specifically focus on disaster-related trauma and grief. The 

NCTSN Learning Center also features Psychological First 

Aid (PFA) Online, a 6-hour course in which the student 

plays the role of a provider working in a scene after a 

disaster. According to the online course description, “this 

professionally narrated course is for individuals who are 

new to disaster response and want to learn the core goals 

of PFA, as well as for seasoned practitioners who want a 

review. The course features innovative activities, video 

demonstrations, and mentor tips from the nation’s trauma 

experts and survivors. PFA Online also offers a learning 

community where participants can share experiences of 

using PFA in the field, receive guidance during times of 

disaster, and obtain additional resources and training.”

http://learn.nctsn.org

Office of Minority Health Cultural Competency 

Curriculum for Disaster Preparedness and 

Crisis Response

These four online courses build knowledge and skills for 

disaster and crisis personnel and volunteers to “provide 

culturally and linguistically appropriate services to diverse 

communities during all phases of disaster.” The curriculum 

is grouped into three themes: culturally competent care, 

language access services, and organizational supports.

https://cccdpcr.thinkculturalhealth.hhs.gov

University of North Carolina (UNC) Center for 

Public Health Preparedness Training Website 

This site “offers free short Internet-based trainings 

developed by the UNC Center for Public Health 

Preparedness on public health preparedness topics 

such as disease surveillance, basic epidemiology, 

bioterrorism, and new/emerging disease agents.”

http://cphp.sph.unc.edu/training/index.php
CONTACT US

SAMHSA Disaster Technical 

Assistance Center

Toll-Free: 1-800-308-3515

DTAC@samhsa.hhs.gov

http://www.samhsa.gov/dtac

SUBSCRIBE 

The Dialogue is a publication for professionals in the disaster behavioral health field to 

share information, resources, trends, solutions to problems, and accomplishments. To 

receive The Dialogue, please go to SAMHSA’s homepage (http://www.samhsa.gov), 

enter your e-mail address in the “Mailing List” box on the right, and select the box for 

“SAMHSA’s Disaster Technical Assistance newsletter, The Dialogue.”

SHARE INFORMATION 

Readers are invited to contribute to The Dialogue. To author an article for an 

upcoming issue, please contact SAMHSA DTAC at DTAC@samhsa.hhs.gov.

ACCESS ADDITIONAL SAMHSA DTAC RESOURCES

The SAMHSA DTAC Bulletin is a monthly e-communication used to share updates in 

the field, post upcoming activities, and highlight new resources. To subscribe, please 

enter your e-mail address in the “SAMHSA DTAC Bulletin” section of our website at 

http://www.samhsa.gov/dtac/resources.asp.

The SAMHSA DTAC Discussion Board is an online discussion forum for disaster 

behavioral health stakeholders. Become a member of this community by visiting 

http://dtac-discussion.samhsa.gov/register.aspx and completing the brief 

registration process. Within 2 business days, you will receive your login and 

password via e-mail, along with further instructions on how to access the site. 

The SAMHSA Disaster Behavioral Health Information Series contains resource 

collections and toolkits pertinent to disaster behavioral health. Installments focus on 

specific populations, specific types of disasters, and other topics related to all-hazards 

disaster behavioral health preparedness and response. Visit the SAMHSA DTAC 

website at http://www.samhsa.gov/dtac/dbhis to access these materials.