Don't Wait-Communicate: Disaster Mental Health Preparation and Response in Rural Schools and Communities

The purpose of the proposed program is to improve disaster mental health preparedness and response in rural schools and communities. The focal population to receive services is K-12 level students attending rural schools. Direct mental health services will be provided in 5 school districts in the eastern region of North Carolina and in-direct services will be provided to behavioral health personnel, other rural school personnel and administrators, families, first responders, and community stakeholders across the southeastern United States (e.g., NC, SC, VA) who work in areas that are frequently impacted by natural disasters, such as hurricanes, or the aftermath of these events (e.g., flooding). Specifically, the RDMH team will provide direct school-based mental health counseling services in 5 NC school districts, provide in-service trainings and professional development to school personnel in the identified 5 districts, provide rural specific disaster mental health training to 1st responders and community organizations involved with youth, and host a Rural Disaster Mental Health Summit that will provide a large-scale professional development training to school personal in the southeastern United States.

Scholars @ ECU