SAMHSA’S Disaster Distress Line

It is always essential to take care of our mental health, but especially during times of tragedy.  This email includes a few resources to share with staff and community members as well as a reminder, and tools, to practice self-care.

SAMHSA’s Disaster Distress Line:  Call 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746 to connect with a trained crisis counselor.

https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/disaster-distress-helpline

And here are additional resources available through SAMHSA:

• Tips for Survivors of a Disaster or Other Traumatic Event: Managing Stress
• Tips for Survivors of a Disaster or Traumatic Event: What to Expect in Your Personal, Family, Work, and Financial Life
• Tips for Talking With and Helping Children and Youth Cope After a Disaster or Traumatic Event: A Guide for Parents, Caregivers, and Teachers
• Tips for College Students: After a Disaster or Other Trauma

As we work together to raise awareness about mental health, reduce stigma and discrimination related to mental illness, and prevent suicides, it is vitally important that we take care of ourselves. Our most valuable resource is each other and we need to strive to be ready for the tasks ahead, by practicing what is often referred to as “self-care.” Self-care includes activities and practices that we can engage in on a regular basis to reduce stress and to maintain and enhance our short and long term health and well-being. Self-care is an essential social work survival skill and is necessary for our effectiveness and success in honoring our professional and personal commitments.

Below and attached you will find information, materials and resources that can be used to assess what we are doing, as individuals and within teams, to care for ourselves. The content below is based on information found in the University of Buffalo’s School of Social Work “Self-Care Starter Kit” (https://socialwork.buffalo.edu/resources/self-care-starter-kit.html). We encourage you to visit the website where you will find additional self-assessments, planning guides, exercises and activities.

Attached you will find the following tools to assist you and your teams (each of the following items is explained in more detail at the link above):

• Self-Care Assessment
• Maintenance Self-Care Worksheet
• Emergency Self-Care Worksheet
• eachmindmatters.org
• suicideispreventable.org