Maui Wildfires Disaster Mental Health Response and Recovery Resources
Catastrophic natural disasters, such as the Maui wildfires, cause extreme disruption and can be distressful for individuals, families and communities. For resources to help learn about or develop learning material on the behavioral health effects of disasters, see the new Curriculum Recommendations for Disaster Behavioral Health.
Below are brief, action-oriented fact sheets as well as additional information to help individuals, communities, and organizations in the aftermath of the Maui wildfires.
RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES:
Helping Communities After Disasters
How Families Can Help Children
RESOURCES FOR HEALTHCARE PERSONNEL:
First Responders, Emergency Workers & Volunteers and Exposure to Human Remains
Supporting Those with Pre-Existing Mental Health Conditions
Maintaining the Well-Being of Healthcare Providers
Psychosocial Concerns after Natural Disaster: Tips for Health Care Providers
RESOURCES FOR LEADERS:
Grief Leadership in the Wake of Tragedies
Leadership in Disasters & Lessons Learned
Risk and Crisis Communication for Leaders
Workplace and Organization Management After Disaster
RESOURCES FOR DISASTER PLANNERS & EDUCATORS:
Curriculum Recommendations for Disaster Behavioral Health
Evacuation Centers and Behavioral Health Considerations
Grief: Understanding and Managing
Common Responses to Disaster
Vulnerable Populations
Health Risk and Crisis Communication
Workplace and Organization Support
Evacuation centers and shelter facilities are often needed to house those displaced after wildfires. Those working in any form of evacuation center or shelter can support mental health and wellbeing of community members through interventions consistent with the principles of Psychological First Aid (PFA), which involves enhancing a sense of safety, calming, self- and community-efficacy (reliance), social connectedness, and hope or optimism. Interventions at evacuation centers which promote PFA principles include: calming through reducing exposure to media and optimizing sleep, keeping children connected with primary caregivers and accommodating pets when possible, and facilitating processes that create a sense of routine and control. In addition, creating “communities” helps encourage formal and informal support. Promoting calm may mean helping those in significant distress through one-on-one interactions, as having residents retell their distressing stories in great detail may unnecessarily increase distress in those with less exposure. Creating and maintaining connections with healthcare support systems promotes a sense of safety by addressing acute (lost medications, active illnesses, etc.) and chronic (insulin for diabetes, dialysis for kidney disease, etc.) health concerns.
County of Maui Alert page with evacuation centers
Grief is a near universal experience for those directly impacted by an extreme natural disaster, such as wildfires. In the immediate aftermath of wildfires, loss of home, possessions (such as pictures, keepsakes and other items which comprise our lives), and life routine cause feelings of grief. Loss of control and life routine, as well as familiar people and places often compound feelings of grief. Affected individuals often experience a decreased sense of safety and heightened feelings of fear and threat. Community leaders, disaster managers, and healthcare providers can help those affected by gently inquiring about, acknowledging, and then allowing individuals to process grief. Grief support also involves addressing feelings of loss, mourning losses, and acknowledging fears about the future. Anxiety about the future is best managed through “problem solving” (supporting people in connecting with practical help when available). Being sensitive to the need for rituals, such as memorial and funerals, to support expressions of grief allow for healing, which ultimately strengthen communities. The following resource(s) address this topic in further detail:
FACT SHEET: Grief Leadership in the Wake of Tragedies
FACT SHEET: Leadership in Disasters & Lessons Learned
Common responses immediately after disasters include distress reactions (insomnia, irritability, loss of perception of safety, social isolation, blaming and scapegoating) and health risk behaviors (increased use of alcohol and tobacco, over-dedication to tasks, and reduced self-care). For supervisors, leaders, family members, and healthcare personnel, being alert to these reactions and behaviors, promptly identifying them, and providing interventions can reduce distress and improve functioning and may decrease the likelihood of developing mental disorders. Normalizing the reactions and offering guidance about what to expect with symptoms over time, as well as when and where to get assistance if needed, helps people feel calm and increases self-reliance. The following resource(s) address this topic in further detail:
FACT SHEET: Helping Communities After Disasters
Vulnerable populations may be at increased risk for adverse mental health effects after a disaster and warrant unique considerations. Children have developmental limitations in their understanding and ability to respond as well as from the distractions that occur for parents. Women who are pregnant or postpartum have increased risk during these physiologic states. Being cognitively and mobility impaired as well as depending on a system of care may increase risk for elderly and those with pre-existing mental illness. First responders and public health emergency workers (including volunteers) may be both responder and victim and have increased risk for exposure to death, dying, human remains, and considerable suffering. Marginalized population (low socioeconomic status, migrants and refugees, LGBTQ persons, racial and ethnic minorities) may have limited access to resources, previous negative experiences using government services, and fear retaliation or reprisals by government and related organizations, ultimately leading to disparities in access and utilization of critical post-disaster resources. Community-based interventions can help address the unique needs of these (and other) populations by addressing vulnerabilities and reducing barriers to care. The following resource(s) address this topic in further detail:
FACT SHEET: Supporting Those with Pre-Existing Mental Health Conditions
FACT SHEET: How Families Can Help Children
FACT SHEET: How Schools Can Help Students
FACT SHEET: First Responders, Emergency Workers & Volunteers and Exposure to Human Remains
FACT SHEET: Maintaining the Well-Being of Healthcare Providers
Health risk and crisis communication is a critical behavioral health intervention following a community disaster. For those leading disaster management efforts, understanding what to say and what not to say, when and how to say it are important elements. Basic principles include being clear and succinct; stating what is known and unknown; indicating when you do not know the answer, committing to following up at a specific time and then doing so, and avoid misleading or efforts to be overly reassuring as these erode trust. Effective communication following a disaster can reduce distress and enhance well-being for affected communities. The following resource(s) address this topic in further detail:
FACT SHEET: Risk and Crisis Communication for Leaders
Workplace management following a disaster is an important part of restoring community functioning. In addition to financial support, the workplace often provides a sense of meaning and social connectedness. Though workplaces may be understaffed during disasters, overworking remaining personnel leads to diminished functioning and demoralization. Effective support for personnel in the workplace can enhance functioning for both the individuals and the organization. The following resource(s) address this topic in further detail:
FACT SHEET: Workplace and Organization Management After Disaster
Additional detailed resources can further knowledge about effective preparedness, response, and recovery measures. Some are brief while others are more detailed. Reading more detailed resources, such as books about disasters, during an actual disaster response is not likely to happen. However, as the initial response slows a bit, these offer much more in depth treatments of key topics to consider, which may assist with immediate response and recovery and enhance preparedness for future events. Links to additional websites, fact sheets, articles, and books can be found below:
Additional free fact sheet resources at the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress
Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency: August 2023 Wildfires
Hawai‘i Wildfire Recovery and Resilience Resource Guide
Disaster Psychiatry; What Psychiatrists Need to Know (T Ng)
Textbook of Disaster Psychiatry, 2nd Edition
Disaster Psychiatry (F Stoddard)
Resiliency in the Face of Disaster and Terrorism (J Napoli)
Integrating Emergency Management and Disaster Behavioral Health
Psychiatric Dimensions of Disaster Online Training (Disaster Psychiatry Canada)