Research Counts


By Brandi Gilbert

Environmental disasters can impact teens in ways both different and similar to how they impact adults. To reduce their stress about the uncertainties, it's important to ensure that young people are fully informed and have a voice in recovery.


By Briony Towers and Annette Gough

If children are to reach their full potential as actors in disaster risk reduction and resilience activities, education programs needs to do more than simply give information. New holistic, place-based approaches help connect kids with disaster impacts and how their actions can help.


By Cassandra R. Davis, Sarah R. Cannon, Sarah C. Fuller, and Rex Long

Reopening schools can be key to helping the entire community recover after a disaster. Educators who endured Hurricanes Matthew and Harvey weigh in on what helped them recover more quickly.


By Cassandra R. Davis, Sarah C. Fuller, Sarah R. Cannon, and Rex Long

After a disaster, there are many types of support offered for students, but less is available to teachers who struggle with the same impacts. Supporting both groups equally is key to helping schools recover more quickly.


By Jennifer Tobin

When disasters strike, schools are on the front lines of recovery for the entire community. Creating written disaster plans—and the political will and communication paths to support them—can help schools provide this vital function.


By David Abramson

Children’s health can be a powerful indicator of how well a community is recovering from a disaster. The inverse is also true—investing in systems that support children can lead to faster recovery for the community as a whole.


By Laura M. Stough and Elizabeth McAdams Ducy

For families whose children have special healthcare needs, preparing for disasters, evacuating, and finding shelter can be overwhelming—and missteps can be life-threatening. Luckily, steps can be taken to keep families safe and reduce stress.


By Sarah DeYoung

Small steps and a change of perspective about infant feeding in evacuation shelters could have big impacts on the well-being of mothers and children alike.


By Betty Lai, Ann-Margaret Esnard, and Annette La Greca

Many children are amazingly resilient after experiencing disaster. But for those who aren't, early screening can help identify who will need resources the most.


By Betty Pfefferbaum and Carol S. North

When it comes to mental health impacts after disaster, children can take their cues from a suffering parent—meaning services need to assess and address the entire family.


If you are interested in contributing to this series, please contact Natural Hazards Center Director Lori Peek directly at lori.peek@colorado.edu.


Acknowledgements

Research Counts is made possible with funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF Award #1635593) and supplemental support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-National Integrated Drought Information System (NOAA-NIDIS). Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF, FEMA, NOAA-NIDIS, or Natural Hazards Center.