Mental Health Resilience and Disaster Response Management

May 28-31, 2018

Course Description

Mental health problems among disaster survivors and responders are common and, in fact, are higher compared to the general population. Affected communities, including health workers and managers, might harbor acute stress and long-term mental health problems. With specific focus on disaster mental health, this course applies the cyclical process of disaster management—planning, organizing, coordinating, and implementing—to both prevent and manage the mental health impact of disasters. This course also aims to enhance the resilience of relief health workers and other responders, including development and application of specific and simple stress management skills.

Course Objectives
At the end of the training course, the participant will be able to:

1. introduce participants to the key elements of disaster mental health management and response at multiple levels
2. critically appraise the characteristics and attributes of natural and human-cause disasters and their impact on mental health
3. develop prevention and intervention plans using the cyclical process of disaster management for mental health
4. learn and apply strategies in stress management and self-care, such as relaxation techniques and meditation