The Florida Center for Public Health Preparedness

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The Florida Center
for Public Health Preparedness

"Preparing the public health workforce to protect the public against current and emerging health threats, including bioterrorism"

Disaster Behavioral Health First Aid Specialist Training (B-FAST)

Program Aim: To provide public health workers and other professionals on the front-lines of terrorism and disaster response with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively recognize and respond to the initial behavioral health needs of disaster survivors and rescuers, and to promote behavioral wellness through interventions for individual and community resilience and recovery.

Target Audience: Public health and other healthcare, mental healthcare, emergency response, education, and community professionals.

Program Goals:
•	Provide an overview of disaster and terrorism.
•	Create an awareness of the behavioral health consequences of disasters and terrorism and the impact on individuals, communities, and public health.
•	Review traumatic stress, common and uncommon adult stress reactions, signs and symptoms of traumatic stress, stress disorders, and strategies for stress management, coping, and resiliency.
•	Promote the role and responsibilities of public health and public health professionals in disaster behavioral health.
•	Demonstrate the C³ARE Model of Disaster Behavioral Health First Aid.
•	Increase the capacity of public health professionals and other front-line responders to perform their functional roles in emergency readiness, response, and recovery.

Pre-requisite:
Successful completion of FAST Foundation online program. The FAST Foundation online program must be completed prior to registering for BFAST.

Program Modules:
•	Disaster Behavioral Health First Aid: Purpose, Principles, and Protocol
•	The Disaster Behavioral Health First Aid Specialist: Roles, Responsibilities, Requisites, and Readiness
•	Recognizing and Treating Behavioral Health Emergencies: A Public Health Clinical Model
•	Disaster Behavioral Health First Aid Protocol: The C³ARE Model
•	Disaster Behavioral Health and Public Health: Relationships, Roles, Responsibilities, and Results

Program Length: 4 hour on site program.

Program Agenda: To be determined based on delivery location and date.

Continuing Education: This program is pending approval for continuing education credit for physicians, nurses, certified health education specialists, pharmacists, psychologists, licensed mental health counselors, social workers, and marriage and family therapists.

Registration Information: This program is limited to 30 participants. Advanced registration is required.

Registration Fee: There is no registration fee.

Relevant Bioterrorism and Emergency Readiness Competencies for Public Health Professionals:
•	Describe the public health role in emergency management in a range of emergencies that might arise.
•	Describe his/her functional role(s) in emergency response.
•	Identify limits to own knowledge/skill/authority and identify key system resources for referring matters that exceed these limits.
•	Describe communication roles in emergency response.
•	Apply creative problem solving and flexible thinking to unusual challenges within his/her functional responsibilities.
•	Recognize events that might indicate an emergency and describe appropriate action.

Relevant Bioterrorism and Emergency Readiness Sub-Competencies:
•	Recognize and treat the [behavioral health] impact of a disaster or terrorism event on survivors.
•	Identify persons potentially exposed to [behavioral health] hazards.
•	Identify the signs and symptoms for [disaster related stress] exposure.
•	Perform effective behavioral health assessment, stabilization, education, and/or triage and referral of disaster survivors.
•	Provide support for disaster survivors and responders.
•	Assure safety and practice personal protection.

Program Developers and Sponsors:
This program was developed by the Florida Center for Public Health Preparedness at the University of South Florida College of Public Health. It is based on needs identified through several sources, including Florida Department of Health strategic plans and recommendations by members of the Florida Association of County Health Officers (FACHO), other State and county public health officials, and participants in past FCPHP programs. The development and delivery of this program are supported by funding from a cooperative agreement by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Association of Schools of Public Health. This program has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint sponsorship of the University of South Florida College of Medicine and the Florida Center for Public Health Preparedness.

Events of the University of South Florida are available without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, disability, age, or veteran status as provided by law and in accordance with the University’s respect for personal dignity.

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All rights reserved. Copyright © FCPHP, 2008. The information and illustrations are proprietary material and cannot be reproduced in any form including mechanical or electronic means without prior permission from FCPHP, Tampa, FL.

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NEWS

• 2008-2009 Training Calendar now in development. Want a course to come to your region? Contact us at fcphpinfo@health.usf.edu.

• Have a safe summer!