Public health is the science of protecting and improving the health of people and their communities. This work is achieved by promoting healthy lifestyles, researching disease and injury prevention, and detecting, preventing and responding to infectious diseases. Overall, public health is concerned with protecting the health of entire populations. These populations can be as small as a local neighborhood, or as big as an entire country or region of the world (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020).
When public health emergencies occur, there is rapidly evolving information that may be confusing and lead to feelings of anxiety. In the event of an outbreak in your community, your first concern is about how to protect and take care of yourself, your children and your family. Knowing important information about the outbreak and learning how to be prepared can reduce your stress and help calm likely anxieties.
These resources will help you think about how an infectious disease outbreak or pandemic might affect your family— both physically and emotionally—and what you can do to help your family cope in times of public health emergencies.
Gives guidance on responding to disaster or terrorism events using the Psychological First Aid intervention. This evidence-informed approach helps to assist children, adolescents, adults, and families in the aftermath of disaster and terrorism.
Provides parents and caregivers with tips on media coverage of traumatic events.
Offers guidance on talking with children and youth when scary things happen.
Provides caregivers guidance about how to address fears and feelings of prior losses that are coming up during COVID-19. This fact sheet offers information on loss and trauma reminders, coping with separation, and the mind body connection.
Provides caregivers guidance about how to address the impending death of a loved one due to COVID-19. This fact sheet offers information on anticipating a death, preparing a child for the death, and saying goodbye.
Provides caregivers guidance on mourning a death of a loved one due to COVID-19. This fact sheet offers information on saying goodbye when you couldn't be there, understanding developmental differences in behaviors associated with grief, and seeking alternative support if needed.
Helps parents and caregivers address their children's concerns and worries arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and the disruptions of normal life that we are experiencing.
Provides information on understanding and coping with reactions in a pandemic.
Helps parents and caregivers understand children's reactions to injuries, and advises them on how they can help children respond in healthy ways.
Offers tips to parents on how to help young children, toddlers, and preschoolers heal after a traumatic event.
Links
[1] https://www.nctsn.org/resources/psychological-first-aid-pfa-field-operations-guide-2nd-edition
[2] https://www.nctsn.org/resources/tips-parents-and-caregivers-media-coverage-traumatic-events
[3] https://www.nctsn.org/resources/talking-to-youth-when-scary-things-happen
[4] https://www.nctsn.org/resources/power-of-parenting-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-addressing-fears-and-feelings-from-prior-losses
[5] https://www.nctsn.org/resources/power-of-parenting-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-helping-children-cope-with-the-impending-death-of-a-loved-one
[6] https://www.nctsn.org/resources/power-of-parenting-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-mourning-the-death-of-a-loved-one
[7] https://www.nctsn.org/resources/helping-children-cope-with-the-COVID-19-pandemic
[8] https://www.nctsn.org/resources/understanding-and-coping-with-reactions-in-a-pandemic
[9] https://www.nctsn.org/resources/after-injury
[10] https://www.nctsn.org/resources/after-crisis-helping-young-children-heal
[11] https://www.nctsn.org/print/828
[12] https://www.nctsn.org/print/828?page=3
[13] https://www.nctsn.org/print/828?page=1
[14] https://www.nctsn.org/print/828?page=2