Developing cultural competence in disaster mental health programs

Disasters—earthquakes, hurricanes, chemical explosions, wars, school shootings,mass casualty accidents, and acts of terrorism—can strike anyone, regardless of culture, ethnicity, or race. No one who experiences or witnesses a disaster is untouched by it.
Peoples’ reactions to disaster and their coping skills, as well as their receptivity to crisis counseling, differ significantly because of their individual beliefs, cultural traditions, and economic and social status in the community. For this reason, workers in our Nation’s public health and human services systems increasingly recognize the importance of cultural competence in the development, planning, and delivery of effective disaster mental health services. (author introduction) #P4HEwebinarJune2024