Crises Happen... Will You Be Ready?

Crises affect people on many different levels, including psychological well-being. The 2004/2009 tsunamis, hurricanes Rita and Katrina, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are among events continuing to affect millions of lives daily. Potential events like Avian and Swine Flu pandemics, global warming/climate change and threats of spreading unrest in the Middle East are concerns weighing heavily on all. Planning and coordination are important components of responses to crises, disasters, and critical incidents.

Resilience, recovery from crises, community preparation, learning from past experience, and strategically planning for future events are all activities involving education, training and time of first responders, behavioral health professionals, chaplains and others.

Additional response variables include cultural knowledge and sensitivity. We need to respond appropriately within a culture not our own, whether locally, nationally, or internationally. The purpose of a behavioral health plan is to ensure efficient, coordinated and effective responses to behavioral health needs of affected populations during times of disasters and other critical incidents.

Readers of this book will:

Learn how the community and individuals respond to recover from disasters.

Identify activities in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters.

Perform strategic planning and explain how it is helpful in mitigating and responding to disasters, critical incidents and other crises.

Understand the mental health services provided to people affected by disasters, critical incidents and other crises.

Identify and explain how disaster mental health professionals are affected by responding to disasters, critical incidents and other crises.

Understand the stages of disaster recovery and how resilience affects each stage.

Learn the signs and symptoms of disaster induced stress and emotional trauma and how resilience mitigates outcomes.

Discover the meaning of "Return to Equilibrium" and explain its role in the recovery process following a disaster or critical incident.

Praise for From Crisis to Recovery

"Mr. Doherty has produced an invaluable reference volume for everyone involved in disaster response/disaster preparedness field. It is a must for your library! His attention to detail, breadth of scope, depth of knowledge and readable writing style, reflect the work of an eminent scholar in his field and one who has paid his dues on the frontlines. It represents the ultimate A to Z 'How to Do It' manual in this difficult, complicated field. From the sensitive discussion of clinical issues to the organizational planning details, the clarity and thoroughness of this volume are outstanding. This book should be required reading for everyone involved in this critical field."
--John G. Jones, Ph.D. ABPP ATR-BC Licensed Psychologist

Learn more about the Rocky Mountain Region Disaster Mental Health Institute at www.RMRinstitute.org

MED003010 Medical: Allied Health Services - Emergency Medical Services
SOC040000 Social Science: Disasters & Disaster Relief
PSY022040 Psychology: Psychopathology - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder