Pediatric Disaster Behavioral Health (PDBH) Toolkit

Section Overview

This section provides guidance on integrating the toolkit framework into a children's hospital organizational structure and programs during the preparedness phase. It covers internal coordination, including day-to-day programs and emergency management, administrative preparedness, and partnerships.

While this section takes a preparedness approach to implementation, just-in-time deployment of the framework and tools is covered in another section of the toolkit.

Overarching principles for implementing this framework

• Integration into existing programs, both emergency management and day-to-day services, is essential for both readiness and effective response and recovery.
• Administrative preparedness and support, including finances and policy, is a key component in reducing the time required to deploy disaster behavioral health services and supports.
• No disaster occurs in a vacuum. Collaboration and partnership with the broader community are imperative to ensure the community is ready to respond.
• All disasters start and end locally. Guidance, recommendations, and tools provided by this toolkit should be considered and adapted based on local needs, challenges, existing plans and partnerships, and community priorities.

At minimum, planning for assisting children should include

• A clear framework for action, such as the Pediatric Disaster Behavioral Health Framework presented in this toolkit.
• Early identification and prioritization of children at higher risk for new or worsening behavioral health disorders.
• Preparedness to deliver effective trauma-informed care, including:
  • Trauma-informed training and procedures to reduce additional harm.
  • Family-centered approaches to leverage family resilience.
  • Consideration of children with neurodevelopmental differences and complex health care needs.
• Early-stage supports to help families understand and manage event-related stress, including Psychological First Aid for broad application and structured brief interventions such as Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and the Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention (CFTSI) for high-risk pediatric trauma exposure.
• Strong capacity for behavioral health communication, both inside and outside the hospital.
• Strong partnerships with key external partners such as other health care facilities, schools, and governmental partners.

Ideally, facilities and communities will be ready to implement all goals, functions, and components outlined in the framework.

How to Get Started