Our society increasingly is recognizing that victims of a disaster need support to recover from the trauma associated with the disaster event. Disasters include natural disasters such as severe storms, floods, and wild land fires as well as manmade events such as mass shootings or other acts of violence. Trauma from disasters can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health problems, and can put victims at higher risk of substance abuse. Providing support to disaster victims needs to occur both immediately after the event and over a longer time frame as recovery takes place. Governmental agencies, community-based organizations and others involved in disaster response need to plan and prepare if they are to effectively address the behavioral health needs of disaster victims.
