Georgia Disaster Mental Health Response Team Training
The earthquake that took place in Haiti on January 12, 2010 emphasizes the importance of increasing Georgia’s capability to handle the complex mental health reactions that may occur as a result of a disaster or emergency. The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities is now offering an online course entitled Georgia Disaster Mental Health Response Team Training. This training is for licensed mental health professionals in Georgia who are interested in becoming volunteers for Georgia’s Disaster Mental Health Response Team.
Georgia Disaster Mental Health Response Team Training is made available through a partnership between DBHDD and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health. With funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the North Carolina Center for Public Health Preparedness at UNC created the online program for the North Carolina Disaster Response Network and has assisted Georgia in adapting and presenting this training program.
This training is comprised of eight short on-line modules and may be accessed by going to http://nccphp.sph.unc.edu/training/gmh/. Upon completion of the eight on-line modules, participants will be invited to take part in a skills development workshop that features a live simulation event.
For more information about this training, go to http://nccphp.sph.unc.edu/training/gmh/ to download the GMH Training Fact Sheet or contact Jeannette David at 404-657-2354 or jedavid@dhr.state.ga.us.
The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD), in partnership with the Georgia Department of Community Health, Division of Emergency Preparedness and Response, offers free training in Disaster Mental Health Field Response. This training is paid for through emergency preparedness funding from the US. Department of Health and Human Services, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response. Disaster Mental Health Field Response Training is aimed at DBHDD Central Office, State Hospital and provider agency staff, as well as Georgia Division of Public Health, Georgia County Board of Health and acute care hospital staff. This course provides the basic information and skills to prepare disaster mental health responders to meet the needs of disaster victims and the people who come to their aid. In addition, Disaster Mental Health Field Response training teaches first responders and healthcare personnel skills that will enable them to assist with the emotional needs of co-workers and disaster victims. This training will enable first responders and healthcare personnel to integrate mental health into the work they already do to meet the needs of the community they serve. For more information or to schedule a training, contact Jeannette David at 404-657-2354 or email jedavid@dbhdd.ga.gov.
Fact Sheet
Training
Description
Critical Incident Stress Management
The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD), in partnership with the Georgia Department of Community Health, Division of Emergency Preparedness and Response, offers free training in Critical Incident Stress Management Individual Crisis Intervention and Peer Support and Group Crisis Intervention .
To find out when the next class is scheduled contact Jeannette David at 404-657-2354 or email jedavid@dbhdd.ga.gov.
FEMA National Incident Management System,
Incident Command System Independent Study course IS-100 and IS-700
The FEMA Course is available here.
Psychological First Aid
The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities offers half-day classes in Psychological First Aid (PFA).
“Psychological First Aid is an evidence-informed modular approach to help children, adolescents, adults, and families in the immediate aftermath of disaster and terrorism. Psychological First Aid is designed to reduce the initial distress caused by traumatic events and to foster short- and long-term adaptive functioning and coping.” Description from the PFA Introduction and Overview. It also includes a section on self-care designed to assist participants in coping with the stress associated with emergency and disaster response. Classes are interactive and give participants the opportunity to practice the skills of PFA through role-playing.
Audience - Healthcare workers, particularly those who work in emergency rooms, and other disaster responders.
DBHDD also offers a full-day version of PFA for members of Georgia’s Medical Reserve Corps.
For more information and to schedule a class, contact Jeannette David at the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities at 404-657-2354 or jedavid@dbhdd.ga.gov.