ATLANTA, GA - The earthquake that took place in Haiti on January 12, 2010 emphasizes the importance of increasing Georgia’s capability to handle the complex mental health reactions that may occur as a result of a disaster or emergency. The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities is now offering an online course entitled Georgia Disaster Mental Health Response Team Training. This training is for licensed mental health professionals in Georgia who are interested in becoming volunteers for Georgia’s Disaster Mental Health Response Team.

Georgia Disaster Mental Health Response Team Training is made available through a partnership between DBHDD and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health. With funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the North Carolina Center for Public Health Preparedness at UNC created the online program for the North Carolina Disaster Response Network and has assisted Georgia in adapting and presenting this training program.

This training is comprised of eight short on-line modules and may be accessed by going to http://nccphp.sph.unc.edu/training/gmh/. Upon completion of the eight on-line modules, participants will be invited to take part in a skills development workshop that features a live simulation event.

For more information about this training, go to http://nccphp.sph.unc.edu/training/gmh/ to download the GMH Training Fact Sheet or contact Jeannette David at 404-657-2354 or [email protected].

Contact Information:

Kristie N. Swink ([email protected])