Handling the emotional response to disaster: the case for American Red Cross/community mental health collaboration

This paper presents the theory, rationale, and a working model for integrating professional resources at the time of a disaster. Red Cross and community mental health agencies have worked for too long in parallel. A collaborative approach to meeting the emotional needs of disaster victims makes optimal use of indigenous resources; provides skill and knowledge normally lacking in each agency alone; and helps provide, through early intervention, a preventive factor to thwart long term community distress. Options for maintenance of readiness, local or regional adaptation and piloting are also discussed.