Disaster Preparation and Effects on Inpatient Psychiatric Care

Disaster preparedness has never been a more important matter for child and adolescent inpatient psychiatry services than in the current landscape of growing health concerns of staff and patients and institutional safety. More specifically, with the increasing frequency of unusual and extreme weather events, rising levels of ransomware attacks on health care facilities, and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, disasters profoundly affecting patient care in congregate care settings are becoming increasingly routine. This chapter will review different forms of hazards and disasters and provide recommendations for disaster preparedness for child and adolescent inpatient psychiatric services. Recommendations will address natural, anthropogenic, and hybrid disaster plans.