The American Red Cross and Psychology’s Disaster Response Network:
An Historical Perspective
Richard A. Heaps, Ph.D., ABPP

Historically, the American Red Cross was chartered by the U.S. Congress to provide disaster relief. Until 1991, the Red Cross disaster response capability did not formally include a mental health component.

Following Hurricane Hugo and the San Francisco earthquake, the Red Cross identified a need to manage the stress experienced by Red Cross relief workers and disaster survivors. A decision was made to add a mental health component to its available services.  At the time, Red Cross President Elizabeth Dole said, "We recognize that a crucial aspect of disaster relief, beyond providing food and shelter, is helping victims and survivors cope with their losses." 

As a result, Disaster Mental Health Services was introduced as a new disaster relief function in late 1991. On December 13, 1991, an official Statement of Understanding (SOU) formalizing a cooperative relationship between the Red Cross and psychologists, through APA, was signed.

APA’s Disaster Response Network (DRN) was officially “unveiled” at the 1992 APA Convention as a special centennial gift to the nation. APA was among the first mental health associations to enter into partnership with the Red Cross.

The DRN is APA’s mechanism for implementing its agreement with the Red Cross. The DRN is a state-based network of psychologists available to the Red Cross system. It relies on recruiting local volunteers to respond to disasters. In this regard, the DRN has helped the Red Cross to recruit more than 2,500 licensed psychologists around the country.

In practice, APA’s DRN is comprised of state psychological association DRN programs, which are managed on a state-by-state basis. APA’s DRN program is under administrative authority of APA’s Committee for the Advancement of Professional Practice and the Practice Directorate and serves as an information resource and a liaison between state DRN’s and the American Red Cross.

The Utah Psychological Association (UPA) informally organized its own DRN and Disaster Response Committee about 1994, after its original two APA DRN members (Laurie Hoover and Richard Heaps) taught the first two Red Cross Disaster Mental Health Service courses in Utah on the same day in Salt Lake City.

Having formal agreements and procedures already in place is a significant advantage to many state psychological associations which have neither the financial nor physical resources to provide a truly independent disaster mental health response of any duration. It is essential for most state DRN’s to connect and collaborate with an organization such as the American Red Cross which has a legitimate and expected role, including a clear physical presence, at times of disaster or other traumatic events.

The Red Cross sought licensed professionals as disaster mental health responders because professional licensure was viewed as ensuring that volunteers were qualified to provide mental health services on an independent level, were bound by an ethical code, and were accountable to a state licensing board. (Note: graduate students, interns, and residents, please read the last paragraph of this article.)

Although the Red Cross does provide training to its recruited licensed psychologist volunteers, it relies on the fact that psychologists, through their doctoral education, internship and post-doctoral supervised experience, have already been adequately trained in the assessment and treatment of individuals with mental health related problems and disorders.

Training provided by the Red Cross to psychologist volunteers provides an overview of Red Cross disaster operations and identifies the various ways psychologists put their already existing mental health expertise to use in a disaster relief effort. Each volunteer is required to complete a brief Introduction to Disaster Services Course and a one-day Foundations of Disaster Mental Health course.

It is not unusual for DRN participants to obtain additional disaster mental health training through continuing education courses offered by outside organizations (e.g. the National Organization for Victims Assistance 40 hour course). Some courses now are available online (e.g., North Carolina’s DRN training at http://nccphp.sph.unc.edu/NCDRNtraining/). Such additional training is recommended but not required by the Red Cross.

DRN members may spend their time circulating around an operations site listening to concerns, offering whatever type of support is needed, and remaining accessible in the event an emerging situation calls for a mental health intervention. They may be asked to see individuals who are overcome by grief, depression, panic or general distress in extremely stressful and often tragic circumstances.

DRN psychologists use their professional judgment, training, and clinical skills to help individuals regain composure and cope with the immediate situation. They help problem-solve, make referrals to community resources, advocate for workers’ and victims’ needs, provide information, and help people marshal their own coping skills. They also offer other approved interventions, as needed (www.apapractice.org/apo/disaster_network/how_to_
become_a_drn.html# has a helpful link to approved Red Cross DMH interventions in a PDF file at the bottom of the page).

In addition to their work as disaster responders, DRN members may serve as American Red Cross instructors, consultants, and American Red Cross state mental health leaders.

While DRN psychologists may be deployed to the actual disaster site, they may also be asked to participate in a wide range of community venues, from shelters to family service centers, or anywhere else where they will come in contact with survivors, family members, or emergency workers.

At one time, the Red Cross estimated that the type and percentage of activities of their experienced disaster mental health professionals included, on average, 30% education, 30% direct stress-reducing interventions, 25% problem solving, 10% advocacy for services, and 5% referrals.

In reality, however, no two disasters are alike as dramatically demonstrated by recent events, and disaster responding cannot be approached in a “cookbook” fashion. DRN psychologists must remain flexible in order to be optimally useful to the Red Cross disaster relief efforts.

Although DRN members volunteer primarily through our valued partnership with the American Red Cross, some state DRN programs also have service relationships with other local community organizations (e.g., Utah Disaster Mental Health Coalition) and emergency services (e.g., police and fire departments). When psychologists choose to participate with groups outside the APA-Red Cross DRN program, their work is not covered by the Red Cross procedures, intervention standards, and liability insurance.

Disaster mental health activities continue to develop and evolve in response to increasingly complex disaster events and a growing body of research about the impact of disasters and the responses that are more helpful.

Richard Heaps is UPA’s DRN Coordinator and Disaster Response Committee Chair. He served six years as a member of APA’s DRN Advisory Committee representing 13 western states. This APA DRN Advisory Committee, under direction of Margie Schroeder, wrote several informational documents from which this article borrows liberally, with permission.