Substance Use During and After Major Crisis and Disaster: A Practitioner’s Guide

Abstract

While many people may need additional support during and after a disaster, people with substance use disorders often have specific needs including access to support networks and medical and mental health services. However, these needs are often unknowingly overlooked or misunderstood. There are many facets to understanding how substance use issues may manifest as well as how to be responsive to people with substance use issues both during and after a disaster. For practitioners, understanding the most recent research on substance use disorders (SUD) and the context of disasters and crisis is critical to providing effective and supportive services to those in need. This chapter focuses on the two primary areas: needs of people in recovery from SUD during and after disasters and people who are substance users and not in recovery. It also explores the ways of working with and supporting people with SUD. The chapter seeks to illustrate what disasters are, the systems by which disaster mental health professionals are expected to function in, and the context for which practitioners will be working. Maintaining flexibility and a team environment enables practitioners to effectively implement disaster mental health services including for people with SUD. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)