Crises Happen... Will You Be Ready?

Crises affect people on many different levels, including psychological well-being. The 2004/2009 tsunamis, hurricanes Rita and Katrina, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are among events continuing to affect millions of lives daily. Potential events like Avian and Swine Flu pandemics, global warming/climate change and threats of spreading unrest in the Middle East are concerns weighing heavily on all. Planning and coordination are important components of responses to crises, disasters, and critical incidents.

Resilience, recovery from crises, community preparation, learning from past experience, and strategically planning for future events are all activities involving education, training and time of first responders, behavioral health professionals, chaplains and others.

Additional response variables include cultural knowledge and sensitivity. We need to respond appropriately within a culture not our own, whether locally, nationally, or internationally.The purpose of a behavioral health plan is to ensure efficient, coordinated andeffective responses to behavioral health needs of affected populations during times of disasters and other critical incidents.

Readers of this book will:

• Learn how the community and individuals respond to recover from disasters.
• Identify activities in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters.
• Perform strategic planning and explain how it is helpful in mitigating and respondingto disasters, critical incidents and other crises.
• Understand the mental health services provided to people affected by disasters, criticalincidents and other crises.
• Identify and explain how disaster mental health professionals are affected by respondingto disasters, critical incidents and other crises.
• Understand the stages of disaster recovery and how resilience affects each stage.
• Learn the signs and symptoms of disaster induced stress and emotional trauma andhow resilience mitigates outcomes.
• Discover the meaning of "Return to Equilibrium" and explain its role in the recoveryprocess following a disaster or critical incident.
  
  Praise for From Crisis to Recovery
  
  "Mr. Doherty has produced an invaluable reference volume for everyoneinvolved in disaster response/disaster preparedness field. It is a must for yourlibrary! His attention to detail, breadth of scope, depth of knowledge andreadable writing style, reflect the work of an eminent scholar in his field and onewho has paid his dues on the frontlines. It represents the ultimate A to Z 'How toDo It' manual in this difficult, complicated field. From the sensitive discussion ofclinical issues to the organizational planning details, the clarity andthoroughness of this volume are outstanding. This book should be requiredreading for everyone involved in this critical field."
  --John G. Jones, Ph.D. ABPP ATR-BC Licensed Psychologist
  
  Learn more about the Rocky Mountain Region Disaster Mental Health Institute at www.RMRinstitute.org
  
  MED003010 Medical : Allied Health Services - Emergency Medical Services
  SOC040000 Social Science : Disasters & Disaster Relief
  PSY022040 Psychology : Psychopathology - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder