Early Intervention

Early interventions should focus on safety, reducing initial distress, gathering information, and offering practical assistance.

• Early Intervention for Trauma: Current Status and Future Directions
  Reviews the core issues in early intervention that need to be addressed in resolving the debate over Psychological Debriefing.
• Recommendations for Acute Stress Management and Prevention of PTSD
  This course provides an overview of the Clinical Practice Guideline for acute stress management and prevention of PTSD.
• Psychological First Aid: Field Operations Guide
  The Psychological First Aid Guide was developed by the National Center for PTSD and the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. It has essential information for dealing with people in the immediate aftermath of disasters.
• Acute Stress Disorder
  Definition of ASD, including: who is at risk, how is it treated, and how is it related to PTSD.
• Cautions Regarding Cognitive-Behavioral Interventions Provided Within a Month of Trauma
  Describes when and when not to use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as an early intervention for acute stress.
• Disaster Rescue and Response Workers
  Provides information specific to response and recovery workers on stress reactions. Includes tips on managing stress during and following the disaster, as well as after they return home.
• Early Mental Health Intervention for Disasters
  Discusses factors that influence prevention of problems following disasters, obstacles to help-seeking, early intervention, and basic principles of emergency care, including Psychological First Aid.
• Guidelines for Mental Health Providers' Response to the Events of 9/11/2001
  Includes a brief list of recommendations for mental health professionals who work with people seeking treatment immediately after trauma. Guidelines are based on 9/11 events.
• Helping Survivors in the Wake of Disaster
  Concise information for volunteers, mental health clinicians, chaplains, and medical personnel on the effects of traumatic stress and recommendations for helping survivors of disasters.
• Pharmacological Treatment of Acute Stress Reactions and PTSD: A Fact Sheet for Providers (PDF)
  Discusses who should receive treatment, when treatment should begin, and what medications should be prescribed. This PDF file may be printed and used as a handout.
• Recommendations for Pharmacological Treatment of Acute Stress Reactions
  Discusses treatment alternatives for acute traumatic stress reactions, who should receive treatment, when treatment should begin, and what medications should be prescribed.
• Secondary Mental-Health Treatment Following Disasters
  This page discusses the timing of follow up services, who should be referred and what these services should entail.
• Treating Survivors in the Acute Aftermath of Traumatic Events
  Discusses therapy in the acute aftermath of a disaster, the phases that occur, who is affected and early intervention strategies. A treatment model for acute stress is described.
• Types of Debriefing Following Disasters
  Describes several types of debriefing following a trauma, and discusses the pros and cons of this form of mental health intervention.