Foundations of Psychosocial Disaster Management Course

The purpose of the course is to educate participants about psychosocial and mental health concepts and practice, so as they can identify the likely mental health issues arising from a disaster, better work with psychosocial and mental health practitioners, and to ensure mental health issues are better integrated into emergency/disaster management at an organisation, community or state level.

Objectives
This course will develop awareness and knowledge of:

• People’s reactions to disasters
  
• The key psychosocial disaster management actions for each of the following disaster phases ‑ prevention, preparation, response and recovery
  
• Key challenges in operationalising psychosocial disaster management
  
• Applying mental health practices to a national disaster

Audience
Those who have no or limited knowledge of the concepts and practice of psychosocial disaster management, but need to work with psychosocial and mental health practitioners or incorporate mental health issues in emergency and disaster management arrangements.

References
Psychosocial Response Guidelines - PDF
Planning for Individual and Community Recovery in an Emergency Event: Principles for Psychosocial Support - PDF

Links
Emergency Management Australia
www.ema.gov.au

Queensland Health
www.health.qld.gov.au/

New Zealand Ministry of Health
www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/emergencymanagement-nhep

Inter Agency Standing Committee
www.humanitarianinfo.org./iasc/content/default.asp

Psychological First Aid: Field Operations Guide
www.ncptsd.va.gov

Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
www.facsia.gov.au/

Department of Human Services Victoria
www.dhs.gov.au/

Department of Health, Western Australia
www.health.wa.gov.au/disaster/

World Health Organisation
www.who.int/en/

Australian Centre for Post Traumatic Mental Health
www.acpmh.unimelb.edu.au/

Mind Frame
http://www.mindframe-media.info/