Disasters come in many forms. They may occur suddenly or with advance warning. Disasters may be human-caused or an act of nature.  Some disasters have names like Katrina or flight numbers while others have faces that we see on the television. Many are known simply as house fires or accidents. All involve sudden loss and profound tragedy in people’s lives. Whether airplane crashes, hurricanes, infectious disease, school shootings, acts of terrorism, or something else, disasters have both physical and mental health components and consequences.

This page, sponsored by the Georgia Department of Community Health, Division of Emergency Preparedness and Response and the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) addresses the Mental health components of disasters.