Disasters wreak havoc with more than just power lines, roads and homes. People also feel the stress brought by a disaster, and that emotional impact can increase the need for services to help with mental health, substance abuse and stress management. Planning for these needs and recognizing gaps in existing plans and resources before a disaster strikes can help individuals and communities become more resilient and recover more effectively.
Behavioral health services often are provided by multiple agencies. During an emergency, the task of understanding what resources are available and how to provide services to the range of people who need disaster specific behavioral health services or continued mental health services can be daunting. By planning before a disaster strikes, emergency planners at all levels can better understand how they can use resources effectively when every second counts.
The Disaster Behavioral Health Capacity Assessment Tool was designed to help states and localities assess their current capacity to address the disaster behavioral health needs of survivors, responders, those with chronic mental illness, and other at-risk individuals. A capacity assessment conducted at the regional, state, county, city, or agency level, can identify the strengths and gaps of a system, the surge capacity within specific systems, and help target improvement and resource allocation efforts.
The idea for the Tool grew out of a guidance developed by ASPR; the Template for Conducting a State Capacity Assessment or Gap Analysis of Disaster Behavioral Health. The template was produced as a result of a 2009 workshop where representatives from each state in Region I (New England) met with federal representatives to discuss disaster behavioral health capacity in that region. The workshop aimed to improve the integration of behavioral health into public health emergency and disaster preparedness and response. Using the template as a starting point, the new Disaster Behavioral Health Capacity Assessment Tool was enhanced to incorporate stakeholder input and feedback formatted as a checklist with a specific section for provider agencies.
During September, as part of National Preparedness Month activities, we encourage regional, state, county, city, and agency planners to start using the Disaster Behavioral Health Capacity Assessment Tool. The relationships that you build between behavioral health, public health, and emergency management as part of your planning efforts will foster greater integration; promote a more effective response; and can enhance resilience within a region, state, or community.
