Treatment Information for Health Care Providers

This section contains Fact Sheets on treatment information that is specific to rescue and recovery workers and general health care providers. It focuses on treatment following disasters. Information on mental health treatment following other traumatic experiences can be found in the Mental Health Care Providers treatment section.

The Fact Sheets in this section contain information on treatment following natural or man-made disaster. General information is presented on working with survivors, self-care and more. A separate section provides pages on treatment in the early (acute) phase following disaster, including discussion of debriefing.

Fact Sheets on General Information Treatment care:

• Phases of Traumatic Stress Reactions in a Disaster
  Describes the three early phases of reactions to disasters and terrorism, including: impact, the immediate post-disaster phase, and recovery.
  
• Disaster Rescue and Response Workers
  Provides information specific to response and recovery workers on normal and problematic stress reactions that they may experience. Includes tips on how to manage stress during a disaster operation, following the disaster, and even what rescue workers...
  
• Managing Grief after Disaster
  Clinical advice regarding managing grief after a disaster, including addressing traumatic grief, complications of bereavement, and risk factors.
  
• Working with Trauma Survivors: What workers need to know
  More indepth information regarding traumatic stress, for the people who are working with trauma survivors.
  
• PTSD and the Family
  Gives information on the effects of PTSD on family members.
  
• Secondary Mental-Health Treatment Following Disasters
  This page discusses the timing of follow up services, who should be referred and what these services should entail.
  

Fact Sheets on Acute Treatment care:

• Recommendations for Pharmacological Treatment of Acute Stress Reactions
  Discusses treatment alternatives for acute traumatic stress reactions, who should receive treatment, when treatment should begin, and what medications should be prescribed.
  
• Treating Survivors in the Acute Aftermath of Traumatic Events
  Discusses therapy in the acute aftermath of a disaster, the phases that occur, who is affected and early intervention strategies. A treatment model for acute stress is described.
  
• Guidelines for Mental Health Professionals' Response to Trauma
  A brief list of recommendations for mental health professionals for people seeking treatment immediately post trauma, based on 9/11.
  
• Early Intervention for Trauma: Current Status and Future Directions
  Reviews the core issues in early intervention that need to be addressed in resolving the debate over Psychological Debriefing.
  
• Helping Survivors in the Wake of Disaster
  Concise information for volunteers, mental health clinicians, chaplains, and medical personnel on the effects of traumatic stress and recommendations for helping survivors of disasters.
  
• Psychological Debriefing
  This article looks at the research on psychological debriefing (PD) and what role there is for PD after a critical incident or community disaster.
  
• Types of Debriefings
  Describes several types of debriefing following a trauma, and discusses the pros and cons of this form of mental health intervention.
  
• Early Mental Health Intervention for Disasters
  Discusses factors that influence prevention of problems following disasters, obstacles to help-seeking, early intervention, and basic principles of emergency care, including Psychological First Aid.