Abstract

Disasters overwhelm resources and threaten the safety and functioning of communities. Mental health and community needs after catastrophic disasters can be substantial, however the effects of traumatic events are not exclusively bad with many people showing individual resilience and some reporting growth. Sustaining the social fabric of the community and facilitating recovery following disaster depends on leadership=s knowledge of a community=s resilience and vulnerabilities as well as an understanding of the distress, disorder, and health risk behavioral responses. A coordinated systems approach across medical care, public health, and emergency response system is necessary to meet the mental health care needs of a disaster region.