September 30, 2003

Developing Cultural Competence in Disaster Mental Health Programs

Disasters affect hundreds of thousands of people in the United States annually. In recent years, human-caused disasters have been a major challenge. Disaster crisis counseling is a specialized service that involves rapid assignment and temporary deployment of staff who must meet multiple demands. The major objective of disaster mental health operations is to mobilize staff to disaster sites so that they can attend to the emotional needs of survivors. Service providers and funding organizations have become increasingly aware that race, ethnicity, and culture may have a profound effect on the way in which an individual responds to disaster. Developing Cultural Competence in Disaster Mental Health Programs highlights important common issues relating to cultural competence and to disaster mental health. It provides guidance for improving cultural competence in support of disaster mental health services. The following issues are key to the recommendations set forth in this guide: Cultural competence requires system-wide change and integrating cultural competence in the temporary structure and high intensity work environment of a disaster relief operation is a challenge. The primary purpose of this guide is to provide background information, guiding principles, recommendations, and resources for developing culturally competent disaster mental health services. Disaster mental health providers and workers can use and adapt the guidelines set forth in this document to meet the unique goals for survivors of disasters.