Disasters come in many forms. They may occur suddenly or with advance warning. They may be human-caused or an act of nature. Some disasters have names like hurricanes or schools or flight numbers, while others have faces that we see on the television. Some disasters are isolated yet infamous, changing the cultural landscape forever such as 9/11. Other disasters somehow take root, and tragically develop into cultural patterns such as mass shooting and gun violence. Yet most disasters are known simply as house fires or accidents or car wrecks. No matter the scale, all disasters involve sudden loss and profound tragedy in people’s lives. Whether airplane crashes, tornados, infectious disease, school shootings, acts of terrorism, or something else, disasters have both physical and mental health components and consequences.
This site, sponsored by the Georgia Department of Public Health and the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) addresses the Mental Health components of disasters.
