Developing Cultural Competence in Disaster Mental Health Programs

September 30, 2003 Disasters affect hundreds of thousands of people in the United States annually. In recent years, human-caused disasters have been a major challenge. Disaster crisis counseling is a specialized service that involves rapid assignment and temporary deployment of staff who must meet multiple demands. The major objective of disaster mental health operations is to mobilize staff to disaster sites so that they can attend to the emotional needs of survivors. Service providers and funding organizations have become increasingly aware that race, ethnicity, and culture may have a profound effect on the way in which an individual responds . . .