The Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services responds to natural and all other types of disasters at the direction of the state’s lead agency, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA). If a disaster is federally declared and approved for individual assistance, the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) may implement a Crisis Counseling Program upon the approval of federal agencies. The implementation is a shared responsibility between the TDMHSAS, its’ federal partners and community mental health agencies. The TDMHSAS also responds to requests from TEMA on an as needed basis. To prepare for these situations, the TDMHSAS has developed the State Mental Health Disaster Response Plan.
For: Survivors of disasters who may need mental health services
Community outreach support
Crisis counseling program
Requirements: Must be a federally declared disaster and /or in response to a request from the Tennessee Emergency Management Services
For information about FEMA’s Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program, visit http://www.samhsa.gov/dtac/ccp