Perspectives on disaster public health and disaster behavioral health integration.

Abstract

). Disasters affect populations, simultaneously creating public health and behavioral health challenges for the impacted communities.When disaster strikes, physical consequences–damage, destruction, disruption, displacement, death, debility, and dis-ability–are most often overt and observable. Disaster public health needs are starkly evident. Conversely, psychological con-sequences tend to be less visible and historically, overlooked.This oversight is being redressed in the post-9/11 era. In the past decade, disaster behavioral health has been “unpacked” and showcased, separate from disaster public health, in order to assure that the need for behavioral health and psychosocial support is recognized and prioritized. This has propelled advances in disas -ter behavioral health science, programs, planning, and policy. However, disaster behavioral health is administratively and struc -turally separate from disaster public health.The reality is that physical and psychological dimensions of disaster are not separate. Rather, they are intimately intertwined throughout all phases of the disaster cycle. The rising salience of disaster behavioral health is a good thing, but it is now time to unite and fully integrate disaster behavioral and public health. Such integration is actively championed by SAMHSA and The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR).