title: Using Professional Organizations to Prepare the Behavioral Health Workforce to Respond to the Needs of Pediatric Populations Impacted by Health-Related Disasters: Guiding Principles and Challenges.
abstract: Behavioral health professional organizations are in the unique role of aggregating and disseminating information to their membership before, during, and after health-related disasters to promote the integration of behavioral health services into the public health disaster response plan. This article provides a set of 5 principles to direct this undertaking that are based on the current literature and previous evaluation of the online guidance provided by 6 prominent behavioral health professional organizations. These principles use a strengths-based approach to prioritize resilience; underscore the importance of context, collaboration, and coordination; recognize the unique needs of pediatric populations; and guide ongoing training and content development in the area of biopsychosocial responses to health-related disasters. Recognizing important innovations and strides made by the behavioral health organizations noted in a previous study, this article recommends additional areas in which behavioral health professional organizations can contribute to overall pandemic disaster preparedness and response efforts.
authors.affiliation: 1University of Kentucky College of Medicine,Department of Psychiatry,Lexington,Kentucky.
authors.forename: Ginny
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sprang
authors.affiliation: 2University of Kentucky Center on Trauma and Children,Lexington,Kentucky.
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Silman
mesh_terms: D001524:Behavioral Medicine / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D000067576:Child Health; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D058873:Pandemics; D011634:Public Health / Q000379:methods; D012952:Societies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: community mental health services; delivery of health care; disaster planning; pandemics