Assessment and Intervention Strategies for Disaster-Affected Rural Populations

Assessment and Intervention Strategies for Disaster-Affected Rural Populations CE Course (PDF document) – Online CE Course

Assessment and Intervention Strategies for Disaster-Affected Rural Populations CE Course objectives, description, and outline

Course Objectives:

• Describe at least one unique behavioral health impact of disasters on rural populations, including common emotional, physical, cognitive, and behavioral responses observed during the acute and post-acute phases of disaster recovery.
• Differentiate at least two appropriate outreach, referral, and intervention responses for rural disaster survivors by recognizing indicators of routine distress versus urgent clinical risk requiring immediate referral, consistent with current disaster behavioral health best practices.

Course Description:

After a disaster, you may work with people of different races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, religions, cultures, ages, income levels, and living situations and communities. This guide is designed to help you in your work with rural populations.

Rural communities are often associated with certain races, ethnicities, and lines of work, particularly agriculture. While this may be true for some rural community members, rural populations are as diverse as urban populations. As you begin to develop and pursue outreach plans for this population, we encourage you to consider all possible aspects of the  community you are serving.

Course Outline:

1. 1. Overview
   2. Rural Populations in the United States
   3. Disaster in Rural Communities
   4. Behavioral Health Impacts of Disaster on Rural Communities and Individuals
   5. How to Help Rural Communities and Individuals
   6. Summary of Recommendations
   7. References
   8. Appendix: Resources
   9. Customizable Tip Sheet

Instructors: Nicole Hiltibran, MA, LMFT; Julie Campbell, Phd

Author: SAMHSA

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation. SAMHSA’s mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities.

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