The Natural Hazards Center is excited to announce the release of a second CONVERGE Training Module focusing on disaster mental health. This course is part of a series of online training modules developed by the CONVERGE research team. These interactive, 30- to 60-minute courses cover a variety of topics that researchers—with a special emphasis on students and emerging scholars—can use to quickly educate themselves on conducting extreme events research.
The Disaster Mental Health Training Module—made possible with funding from the National Science Foundation and supplemental support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—introduces participants to academic literature that describes common mental health outcomes associated with disaster.
Case studies are included throughout the module to present common methodological approaches used to conduct disaster mental health research. In addition, trainings, tools, and policies that familiarize users with evidence-informed actions that address the mental health needs of those affected by disaster are also included. The module concludes with 10 recommendations for future research to encourage the next generation of researchers to address unanswered questions and challenges in their work. Links to additional resources, including mental health surveys, screening tools, and web resources, are also provided.
After completing the Disaster Mental Health Training Module, users can take a 10-question quiz to receive a certificate of completion. These certificates will become part of a larger credentialing system for hazards and disaster researchers as more modules are released.
To date, more than 250 people have registered for the training modules, with nearly one-third receiving certificates of completion for the previously released Social Vulnerability and Disasters module.
“We are so thrilled to see that social scientists, engineers, and practitioners from a variety of different professional backgrounds have accessed these modules,” said Lori Peek, who is director of the Natural Hazards Center and principal investigator of the CONVERGE facility. “We were also excited to hear that educators are using these modules in their classrooms, as well.”
The next training modules to be released include:
- Cultural Competence in Hazards and Disaster Research
- Institutional Review Board (IRB) Procedures for Hazards and Disaster Researchers
- Conducting Emotionally Challenging Research
Please visit the CONVERGE website to see the full list of planned modules. To receive updates and information on new CONVERGE training modules and other free online resources, please subscribe here.
This CONVERGE Training Module is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF Award #1841338) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF or CDC.
