Public health emergencies, including climate-related and manmade disasters such as active shooter incidents, occur regularly in the United States. A comprehensive approach is needed to ensure that children's mental health needs are adequately addressed following disasters. This article summarizes the latest evidence on how health systems can effectively address children's unique developmental, social, emotional, and behavioral needs in the context of disasters. To do so requires the integration of mental health considerations throughout all disaster phases, including preparedness, response, and recovery. We discuss the role of traditional emergency response systems and emerging models for responding to mental health crises. These include the national children's disaster mental health concept of operations and specific resources such as crisis lines, mobile crisis units, and telemental health. To achieve a broader reach in addressing children's mental health needs during disasters, health systems can foster a "pediatric disaster system of care" by partnering with community touch points such as schools, faith-based organizations, public health, and law enforcement. Unique considerations during disasters are required to maintain access to care for children with preexisting behavioral health conditions. During disasters, attention is needed to promote equitable identification of mental health needs and linkage to services, particularly for minoritized groups and children living in rural, frontier, and high-poverty areas. Strategies to address children's mental health needs during disasters include the provision of psychological first aid, screening for and triaging mental health needs, and stepped care approaches that progressively allocate higher-intensity evidence-based treatments to children with greater and enduring needs.

中文翻译：

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支持儿童在灾难中的心理健康需求。


美国经常发生公共卫生紧急情况，包括与气候相关的人为灾害，例如活跃的枪击事件。需要采取一种全面的方法，以确保儿童的心理健康需求在灾难发生后得到充分解决。本文总结了关于卫生系统如何在灾难背景下有效解决儿童独特的发展、社会、情感和行为需求的最新证据。要做到这一点，需要将心理健康因素纳入所有灾难阶段，包括准备、响应和恢复。我们讨论了传统应急响应系统的作用和应对心理健康危机的新兴模式。其中包括国家儿童灾难心理健康行动概念和特定资源，例如危机热线、移动危机单位和 telemental health。为了在灾难期间更广泛地满足儿童的心理健康需求，卫生系统可以通过与学校、信仰组织、公共卫生和执法部门等社区接触点合作来培养“儿科灾难护理系统”。在灾难期间，需要独特的考虑因素，以保持对已有行为健康状况的儿童的护理。在灾害期间，需要注意促进公平识别心理健康需求并与服务建立联系，特别是对于少数群体和生活在农村、边境和高度贫困地区的儿童。 在灾难期间解决儿童心理健康需求的策略包括提供心理急救、筛查和分类心理健康需求，以及逐步为具有更大和持久需求的儿童分配更高强度的循证治疗。