Additional information
by Robert W. Schmidt (Author), Sharon L. Cohen (Author)
Disaster Mental Health Community Planning is a step-by-step guide to developing mental health disaster plans, assisting communities to act on long-term resilience and recovery.
As disasters continue to increase in severity and number, with 16% of survivors identified as potential PTSD victims if they don't promptly receive care, this book is a critical read. Chapters outline how to prepare, develop, and implement a trauma-informed collaborative process that prioritizes lasting emotional wellbeing along with survivors' short-term needs. The manual demonstrates how to form this partnership through effective communication, assess those individuals at greatest risk of distress, and deliver trauma-specific treatment. Readers will appreciate the book's practical, user-friendly approach, including case studies, checklists, and follow-up questions to better define goals. Cutting-edge treatment interventions are included along with basic information on trauma's impact on the brain and the types and effects of human-caused and natural disasters to help readers make sound planning decisions.
Accessible to mental-health providers, community leaders, organizations, and individuals alike, Disaster Mental Health Community Planning is a Road Map for anyone interested in delivering a trauma-informed mental health supplement to their community's medical disaster preparedness and response plan.
Author Biography
Robert W. Schmidt, LPC, is a licensed professional counselor who lives and practices in Sandy Hook, Connecticut. He was given the ACA Samuel T. Gladding Unsung Hero Award for his work in Sandy Hook.
Sharon L. Cohen, MA Com, is a corporate/nonprofit communication and collaboration specialist with a background in the mental health field.
