Office of Disaster Readiness

The Office of Disaster Readiness (ODR) conducts planning and development activities to support a coordinated mental health response for Missourians in disaster situations.

To strengthen the Department’s capacity to respond to the mental health needs of Missouri citizens the Office of Disaster Readiness coordinates efforts with numerous state agencies including, Homeland Security, State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), and the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS).  Funding for ODR is currently through a partnership with the DHSS using Federal Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) funding to provide the behavioral health components needed in comprehensive planning.  The Office of Disaster Readiness also develops and administers the FEMA Crisis Counseling Program grant when there is a federal declaration in Missouri.

The Office offers preparedness training in disaster mental health-psychological first aid to health and mental health care providers, school personnel, community-based volunteer organizations, emergency responders, law enforcement personnel, mental health consumers, and the faith-based community.  It also develops informational fact sheets about the emotional impact of disasters on different populations and common reactions to disaster.

The Office of Disaster Readiness is involved in ongoing initiatives such as developing and updating the Special Needs Annex of SEMA’s State Emergency Operations Plan, and Pandemic Flu and continuity of operations planning.

For more information call: (573) 751-4730 or email: jenny.wiley@dmh.mo.gov

If you are feeling overwhelmed by the impact of a disaster in your area and need immediate crisis assistance, the following web address will link you to the phone number of your county: http://www.dmh.mo.gov/cps/ACImap.htm

BACKGROUND ON HAITI and HAITIAN HEALTH CULTURE
http://www.cookross.com/docs/haiti.pdf

Haiti Cultural and Clinical Care Presentation

HAITI BEHAVIORAL HEALTH RESOURCES

(Copied from the Multi-State Disaster Behavioral Health Consortium website: www.sdbhc.us.com

***Volunteer Opportunity***

General Template for Use by States

Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress:

1.  Disaster Related Deaths & Infection - Truth, Myth, or in Between

2.  Disasters & Poverty

3.  Managing a Workplace After a Disaster

4.  Managing Concerns About the Dead or Missing

5.  Haiti:  Facts Important to Disaster Response & Recovery

American Red Cross Brochures on Taking Care of Your Emotional Health

     (English       (Creole)

American Red Cross Brochures for Relief

     (French)      (Creole)

State University of New York:  Tip Sheet on Haitian Culture

Article on NJ.com -  Haiti:  Lesson in Empathy for Children

Coping with the Emotional Impact of Disasters (N.J. Disaster and Terrorism Branch)

     (English)     (Creole)

Coping with Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation Stress (N.J. Disaster and Terrorism Branch)

Coping with Disasters and Violent Events (N.J. Disaster and Terrorism Branch)

Caregivers:   Guidelines for Children Who Have Lost a Loved One

Teachers:     Guidelines for Children Who Have Lost a Loved One

Teachers:     Talking to Children About the Earthquake

Parents:       Talking to Children About the Earthquake

Parents:       Tips for Media Coverage of the Earthquake

Florida's Refugee Services Contacts

Florida Department of Children and Families Response to the Haiti Earthquake

National Resource Center on Advancing Emergency Preparedness for Culturally Diverse Communities

The above items are intended for informational purposes only and are not necessarily endorsed by the State Disaster Behavioral Health Consortium.

 

H1N1 VIRUS aka SWINE FLU

Governor Jay Nixon has announced that Missouri health officials are taking steps to deal with the H1N1 Influenza virus that has prompted federal officials to declare a nationwide health emergency.  The Department of Health and Senior Services is the lead agency in coordinating the state preparation for H1N1 influenza cases. 

It is natural to feel concern about the news reports regarding H1N1 flu.  There is very good information available through the Centers for Disease Control and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services regarding symptoms and updates.  The web links to these sites follow:  www.cdc.gov/H1N1 and www.dhss.mo.gov .  So far the virus has been limited and mild. For general information about the flu: www.FightTheFluMO.com.

FLU PREVENTION

The first thing that we can do is to take preventative measures to protect ourselves and others from the flu:

• Get your flu shot for seasonsal flu! Check with your Local Public Health Agency to find out when the flu shot will be available in your area. The vaccine for H1N1 is expected to be available by October, 2009.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
• Avoiding close contact with sick people.
• Stay home from work or school if you are sick and limit your contact with others to keep from infecting them.
• If you do have symptoms of the flu, call your Doctor.

Remember to take care of yourself by:

• Eating healthy foods
• Getting enough sleep
• Listening for accurate information through the CDC or the Missouri Department of Health, but limiting the amount of your media and internet exposure, especially if you tend to worry. 
• Staying in touch with your social network through email and phone calls and personal visits if you have not been exposed
• Remember that situations can impact our emotions, physical reactions, behaviors, and even our spiritual lives.

 The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and the Centers for Disease Control are working hard to follow and contain the H1N1 flu here in the United States.  Governor Nixon said in his news release that “Missourians should know that people, plans and protections are in place to do everything possible to prevent the spread of swine flu in our state”.

H1N1 INFLUENZA TOOLKIT

Advice for Parents on Talking to Children About H1N1 Flu

Resources for Parents and Caregivers

Strategies To Assist Parents Manage Children's Worries Over The H1N1 Flu

Fact Sheet—Talking to Children About H1N1 Flu

Behavioral Health H1N1 Resources

Caring for Yourself and Your Co-Workers

Grief Resources

Stress Management Guide for H1N1

Stress Management Guide for H1N1 (Spanish)

 

PLANS AND COMPETENCIES

Knowledge and skills for mental health professionals, healthcare professionals, and para-professionals responding to disasters.

All Hazards Emergency Operations Plan

All-Hazards Facility Planning Guide

Disaster Mental Health Competencies

Disaster Planning for Developmentally Disabled

Hospital Preparedness Plans 2009

Pandemic Influenza Plan – Mental Health Appendix

Pandemic Continuity Work Aids 2009

Pandemic Continuity Work Aids 2009--Word Version

 

COMMUNICATIONS

Communications of accurate information for the public in times of disaster is critical in helping a community heal and recover. The Office of Disaster Readiness, in partnership with the Department of Health and Senior Services, developed the Disaster Communications Guidebook with mental health talking points to be used with various audiences during a disaster.

Disaster Communications Guidebook:Promoting Emotional Well-Being When Preparing for Disasters (Please note: The finished size of this booklet is 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches and was prepared in booklet format. For easer access to its contents, we suggest that you print out the booklet and use it in a hard-copy form.)

Disaster Communications Guidebook: Response and Recovery Planning for Public Leaders and Spokespersons/Includes Pandemic Flu Section

Pandemic Communications Guidebook: Response and Recovery Planning for Public Leaders and Spokespersons

FACT SHEETS

Coping with Disaster Fact Sheets

30 Tips for Emergency Preparedness

Coping Facts for College Students

Guidelines to Help Students, Parents and Educators Respond & Cope

Tips for College and University Students: Managing Your Stress in the Aftermath of the Virginia Tech Shootings

Farm Stress Coping Tips with Winter Storm

Flood Disaster Cleanup Fact Sheets from the University of Missouri Extension Service

Phases of Traumatic Stress Reactions in a Disaster

Tips for Managing and Preventing Stress for Emergency Responders and Public Safety Workers

2009 Newsletter ADVANCE NOTICE

Select Month January-March Vol 2 No.1 April-June Vol 2 No.2 Fall 2009 Winter 2009

2008 Newsletter ADVANCE NOTICE

Select the Month December 08 Vol 1 No 12 November 08 Vol 1 No11 October 08 Vol 1 No. 10 September 08 Vol 1 No. 9 August 08 Vol 1 No 8 July 08 Vol 1 No 7 June 08 Vol 1 No 6 May 08 Vol 1 No 5 April 08 Vol 1 No 4 March 08 Vol 1 No 3 February 08 Vol 1 No 2 January 08 Vol 1 No 1

RESOURCES

FLOOD
The Community Emergency Management Program (CEMP) provides below a listing on flooding issues. Additionally, EDEN (Extension Disaster Education Network) has updated their flood issues page, which can be accessed here:

If you have Weathered the Floods, this information may help you

Agriwellness

Coping with Traumatic Events

Emergency Management and Medical Websites

Emergency Management Program Topics

Emergency Preparedness & Response

FEMA Crisis Counseling Program Grant Application

Floods and Flooding

General Disaster Recovery

Georgia Disaster Mental Health Site

MU Extension Community Emergency Management

Public Assistance Information on State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) website

Public Health Guide for Emergency Shelters in Missouri


HIGHER EDUCATION

Behavioral Health Planning (PowerPoint)

Civil Detention Campus Security  (PowerPoint)

RESOURCES Intro for Seminar Toolkit

Seminar Objectives

Campus Security Seminar Agenda

Campus Security Seminar Target Audience

Civil Detention Campus Security & ACI

Opportunities for Local Campus Security Collaboratives Session

Behavioral_Health_Planning_Higher_Ed

GENERAL INFORMATION

Booklist for Children Affected by Hurricane Katrina

Center for Disaster and Extreme Event Preparedness (DEEP Center)
University of Miami

CIDRAP Promising Practices For Pandemic Planning

Coping with Traumatic Events

Disaster/Terrorism Mental Health and Stress Related Links

Federal Resource Collection on Disaster Behavioral Health

National Organization on Disabilities

Pandemic Flu Behavioral Health

Psychological First Aid--Field Operations Guide (2nd Edition)

Terrorism and Disaster Center: Disaster Mental Health Research

Understanding Mental Illness - After the Virginia Tech Tragedy

 

NETWORK OF CARE

Network of Care for Mental Health Network of Care for Mental Health is an online information place for individuals, families and agencies concerned with mental and emotional wellness, substance abuse and developmental disabilities.  This website makes critical information, communication and advocacy tools available at the click of a button.  It ensures there is "No Wrong Door" for those currently using behavioral health services, those working to avoid the need for services, and those ready to transition out of the behavioral health system.  Regardless of where you begin your search for assistance with behavioral health issues, Network of Care ensues you will find what you need.  This Web site can greatly assist in our efforts to protect our greatest human asset - our beautiful minds. Personal Folder The “personal folder” is an important part of the Network of Care that can enable you to securely enter pertinent health care information.  This could be important in a disaster situation where records have been destroyed or when you have had to evacuate to another city or state and need access to your information.  As long as you can access a computer and know your user name and password, you or others to whom you give permission and access can retrieve your information.  To establish a personal folder, go to http://missouri.networkofcare.org click on mental health or developmental disabilities and then choose your county.  Once the county site comes up, click on “my folder/WRAP” to enter your personal information.  You may wish to create subfolders with physician or pharmacy information.  It will be important to regularly update your folder so that you always.

 

TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

Psychological First Aid--Train the Trainer (January 26-27, 2010)
Contact: julie.grotemeyer@ewgateway.org

Recommended Courses

Training available through SAMHSA http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/samhsadr/

WORKSHOP POWERPOINTS

The Psychological Impact of Trauma on Responders (Microsoft Powerpoint document)

Children in Disasters (Microsoft Powerpoint document)

Responding to Children with Special Considerations(Microsoft Powerpoint document)