Psychological First Aid (PFA) Volunteer Registry
The 2021 hurricane season is underway, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is predicting another above-normal Atlantic hurricane season. In the event our region is affected by a major disaster, we will need hundreds of volunteers to ensure a strong disaster behavioral health response. If you are interested in being a disaster behavioral health volunteer, please join our efforts!
- To become a trained PFA volunteer, please take the 6-hour course at: Psychological First Aid Online. Please note that you do not have to be a behavioral health clinician to take this course.
- Once you have received your certification, please join the local Volunteer Registry by filling out the PFA Volunteer Registry below. If you have completed your PFA training within the past two years, you can sign up to join the registry now.
Disaster Behavioral Health Initiative
In order to improve Houston’s/Harris County’s disaster planning to ensure the strongest behavioral health response for those affected by a disaster, NBHP convened more than 20 organizations to review current procedures and identify gaps in services and other community needs. Participants included the Harris County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, The City of Houston Office of Emergency Management, Harris County Public Health, Houston Health Department, American Red Cross, Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster, The Harris Center for Mental Health & IDD, and several other NBHP member organizations.
The initiative developed 14 recommendations that will help improve disaster behavioral health response and recovery efforts in the Greater Houston area. For the full report with details on the initiative and recommendations, click here.
In order to improve Houston’s/Harris County’s disaster planning to ensure the strongest behavioral health response for those affected by a disaster, NBHP convened more than 20 organizations to review current procedures and identify gaps in services and other community needs. Participants included the Harris County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, The City of Houston Office of Emergency Management, Harris County Public Health, Houston Health Department, American Red Cross, Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster, The Harris Center for Mental Health & IDD, and several other NBHP member organizations.
The initiative developed 14 recommendations that will help improve disaster behavioral health response and recovery efforts in the Greater Houston area. For the full report with details on the initiative and recommendations, click here.
Disaster Behavioral Health Shelter Volunteer Orientation
NBHP is pleased to announce the release of its How to Help in a Shelter: A Quick Orientation for Behavioral Health Professionals video. Created with a generous grant from the Houston Endowment, this training film is intended to provide basic information to individuals who want to volunteer in providing mental health support to persons temporarily living in shelters during natural disasters. The video is based upon experiences of NBHP members who oversaw volunteers at the city’s emergency shelter at the George R. Brown Convention Center during Hurricane Harvey. NBHP members are confident this 50 minute orientation video will benefit communities across the country.
The video covers these specific areas:
- Introduction to Shelter Functioning
- The needs of Disaster Evacuees in a Shelter
- Roles of volunteers in a Shelter
- Relationships of volunteers to Shelter/Medical/Clinical Services team
- Self-Care for Shelter volunteers
- Special Issues – Homelessness, Acute Traumatic Response