A multi-level framework to guide mental health response following a natural disaster

Abstract Natural disasters can cause significant distress, grief, loss and hardship, and mental health is a key public health issue that needs to be addressed as part of a wider psychosocial response to assist affected communities. Most people who live through a natural disaster, including bereaved individuals, will not require the attention of specialist mental health professionals. In addition, because many people will cope or ‘bounce back’ on their own and with the support of others, we should be careful to not interfere with the natural coping processes of community members. In the aftermath of the Victorian bushfires in Australia in 2009, a three-level framework was developed that outlined three levels of response to enhance the capacity of lay community members as well as health and welfare personnel to provide evidence-informed care, support and interventions.