Want to get more involved in disaster relief? A good place to start is APA's Disaster Response Network, which works in partnership with the Red Cross. The network can connect psychologists with training and other relevant resources in their states. State psychological associations are affiliated with the network, and some states in the network also partner with the Medical Reserve Corps, says Margie Bird, who directs the network for APA.
In addition, the National Disaster Medical System, a section of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, hires intermittent federal employees to work as crisis counselors and in other capacities on general disaster and specialty teams. (For these and other resources, visit the federal public health emergency websiteopens in new window.
Other issues to consider before you get involved:
- Get credentialed. If you plan to volunteer, first register with the organization you are volunteering for in order to get credentialed and trained, says Donna Hastings, PsyD, the Disaster Response Network chair for New Hampshire and mental health advisor for the Red Cross in New Hampshire.
"Otherwise you're going to be sitting in a pile of paper on someone's desk," she says. Once you're in the system, be patient — it takes a while to process paperwork in a crisis. - Be flexible. After Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, Hastings took on duties including sweeping the floor, straightening out a snack area and typing death certificates. "You're likely to do anything that needs to be done," she says. "If you need an office and a tight schedule, this is not the work for you."
- Lend your research expertise . One big need, for instance, is testing and evaluating public education and outreach campaigns, which are crucial to ensuring that crisis-related messages reach as many people as possible, says Lisa Brown, PhD, a University of South Florida researcher who studies public communication during disasters.
- Consider other helping options. The goal of mental health interventions is to address the real needs of survivors and responders, says Raymond Hanbury, PhD, disaster mental health advisor for the Red Cross in New Jersey. Besides responding directly to the event, you can teach Red Cross courses, conduct SAMHSA and FEMA trainings, conduct research and help peers with self-care, he says.
— Tori DeAngelis