USU Center Offers Essential Mental Health Resources in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene

Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress Provides Comprehensive Support and Resources to Enhance Resilience for Communities Affected by Hurricane Helene

An overhead shot of a flooded town in North Carolina
The North Carolina National Guard continues to deploy military capabilities in support of State authorities
in order to protect the lives and properties of fellow Citizens. (U.S. Army National Guard photos by
Sgt. 1st Class Leticia Samuels)

October 1, 2024 by Sharon Holland

In the wake of Hurricane Helene’s devastating impact, the Uniformed Services University (USU) Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress (CSTS) has developed a series of vital mental health resources aimed at helping individuals, families, healthcare professionals, first responders and community leaders navigate the emotional aftermath of the disaster. These resources offer practical guidance to foster resilience, address trauma, and promote recovery across affected populations.

CSTS's comprehensive toolkit includes free, interactive online training and action-oriented fact sheets tailored to meet the needs of various groups. Specific resources focus on helping families, supporting healthcare workers, and guiding community leaders through effective disaster response.

Key resources include:

  • For Families: Guidance on helping children and communities recover after disasters.
  • For Healthcare Workers: Strategies for maintaining the well-being of first responders, emergency workers, and those with pre-existing mental health conditions.
  • For Leaders: Expert advice on grief leadership, crisis communication, and managing workplace recovery after a disaster.

These resources also emphasize the importance of Psychological First Aid in shelters and evacuation centers to support mental well-being, and highlight the unique challenges faced by vulnerable populations, such as children, individuals with disabilities, and marginalized groups.

First responder swift water rescue teams from throughout the U.S. have been deployed to provide assistance in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. (Photo by Jessica Beckett Auten)
First responder swift water rescue teams from throughout the U.S. have been deployed to provide
assistance in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. (Photo by Jessica Beckett Auten)

"Hurricane Helene has caused extraordinary damage, injury, death, and disruption, as well as distress for individuals and communities that is experienced far beyond the geographic boundaries of the event, and often persists long after the acute disaster ends. Community leaders, healthcare professionals, first responders and emergency workers, and other community members can protect mental health and foster resilience through actions that promote the five essential elements of Psychological First Aid, including enhancing a sense of safety, calming, connectedness, efficacy, and hope,” says Dr. Joshua Morganstein, deputy director of CSTS and professor of psychiatry at USU. “Our brief, easy to use, action-oriented resources help people know what actions to take, and some to avoid, to protect themselves and those around them in the wake of Hurricane Helene and other disasters."

To access the full set of resources and learn more, visit the CSTS Hurricane Helene Mental Health Resource page at:  https://www.cstsonline.org/resources/resource-master-list/202409-hurricane-helene-disaster-mental-health-response-and-recovery-resources