Name
E09 - Kōkua Lahaina Rising: Lessons Learned from the Maui Wildfires Mental Health Response
Description
The August 2023 wildfires in Lahaina, Maui destroyed a community and displaced the majority of its members, requiring a coordinated effort between county, state, and federal agencies. While the existing emergency plan accounted for basic physical and medical needs, it largely neglected survivors’ immediate mental health needs. The result was a grassroots effort by local organizations and independent practitioners to respond to the acute mental health needs of the community. This presentation will review the disaster response timeline for the Maui wildfires and how the community’s mental health needs were assessed and addressed, from the viewpoint of an FQHC in that community.
Date & Time
Friday, October 25, 2024, 11:15 AM - 11:45 AM
Speakers
Content Level
All Audience
Tags
Innovations, Rural
Session Type
Concurrent
SIG or Committee
JMC
Location Name
Presidio A
Objective 1
Identify barriers and facilitators to immediate MH response following a disaster
Objective 2
Understand disaster response management and planning, and how MH needs can be incorporated as part of preparation
Objective 3
Feel more comfortable responding to a disaster from an organizational and/or independent level
Content Reference 1
US Department of Health and Human Services (n.d.). Disaster Behavioral Health Coalition Guidance. https://aspr.hhs.gov/behavioral-health/Documents/dbh_coalition_guidance.pdf
Content Reference 2
Rural Health Information Hub (n.d.). Mental and Behavioral Health Considerations in Emergency Preparedness and Response. https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/toolkits/emergency-preparedness/3/mental-health
Content Reference 3
Federal Emergency Management Agency (n.d.). Animals in Disasters, Module A/Unit 3: The Four Phases of Emergency Management. https://training.fema.gov/emiweb/downloads/is10_unit3.doc#:~:text=Animals%20in%20Disasters,-MODULE%20A&text=This%20unit%20covers%20ways%20in,a%20disaster%20can%20be%20predicted