Disaster behavioral health concept of operations

Disaster behavioral health is an integral part of the overall public health and medical preparedness, response, and recovery system. It includes the many interconnected psychological, emotional, cognitive, developmental, and social influences on behavior, mental health, and substance abuse, and the effect of these influences on preparedness, response, and recovery from disasters or traumatic events. Behavioral factors directly and indirectly influence individual and community risks, health, resilience, and the success of emergency response strategies and public health directives.

Behavioral health is also concerned with influences on decision making in an affected population. Disaster behavioral health practitioners and approaches can inform risk communication and public health messaging to address anxiety, promote compliance with health directives, and prevent misinformation from gaining credibility. Before, during, and after a public health emergency or disaster, behavioral health promotion activities can enhance individual and community resilience.

While Health and Human Services (HHS) coordinates response and recovery activities with state, territorial, tribal (STT) and local public and behavioral health officials, the federal response is predicated on the understanding that STT and local resources are primary and may be overwhelmed. It is at the request of the STT and if the effects of the public health emergency or disaster are severe or widespread, that Federal assistance is typically provided.

Even with the knowledge that Federal assistance may be available, local plans and preparedness activities must integrated behavioral health activities into broader emergency related activities in order to promote effective and comprehensive response, recovery and overall national health security.