Implementation of trauma and disaster mental health awareness training in Puerto Rico
摘要
Climate change is disproportionately impacting youth mental health around the world. Using a Community-Based Participatory approach, three universities (one in South Carolina and two in Puerto Rico) partnered after the devastation of Hurricane Maria in 2017. We offered culturally and linguistically tailored trauma and disaster-informed mental health awareness training (e.g., Psychological First Aid (PFA), Trauma Informed Care (TIC), & Suicide & Crisis Management) to 9236 individuals and 652 Puerto Rican youth were identified and referred to mental health services as a result. The US Surgeon General featured our program as a promising model to help disaster-affected youth.