Mental Health and Disaster Risk Management Training Course

Course Introduction
The Mental Health and Disaster Risk Management Training Course is designed to strengthen professional capacity to integrate mental health and psychosocial considerations into disaster risk management systems. As disasters increase in frequency and intensity, addressing mental health before, during, and after crises is essential for resilience and recovery.
This course provides a comprehensive understanding of how disasters impact mental health across individuals, families, responders, and communities. Participants will explore how preparedness, prevention, and risk reduction strategies can mitigate psychological harm and strengthen community coping capacities long before emergencies occur.
Participants will examine the role of mental health within disaster risk governance, policy frameworks, and multi-sector coordination mechanisms. The training emphasizes alignment between disaster risk reduction, humanitarian response, public health systems, and long-term development planning.
The course integrates evidence-based psychosocial approaches with disaster risk management principles, highlighting the importance of early intervention, community-based support, and continuity of care. Learners will understand how mental health services can be embedded into preparedness plans and emergency response systems.
Through practical case studies, simulations, and planning exercises, participants will build skills to assess psychosocial risks, design mental health–sensitive DRM plans, and coordinate responses across sectors. Emerging issues such as climate anxiety, displacement, and pandemics are addressed throughout the course.
By the end of the training, participants will be equipped to integrate mental health into disaster risk management in ways that reduce vulnerability, strengthen resilience, and support sustainable recovery. The course empowers professionals to protect psychosocial wellbeing while enhancing disaster preparedness and response effectiveness.

Who Should Attend

• Disaster risk management and emergency response professionals
• Mental health and psychosocial support practitioners
• Public health officers and health emergency planners
• Government officials and policymakers
• Humanitarian and development organization staff
• Community development and resilience officers
• Psychologists, counselors, and social workers
• First responders and emergency service personnel
• NGO and CSO program managers
• Researchers and academics in disaster and public health

Duration

10 days

Course Objectives

• Equip participants with the knowledge and skills to integrate mental health and psychosocial support into disaster risk management policies, plans, and operational frameworks.
• Strengthen understanding of how different disaster types affect mental health outcomes across populations and risk groups.
• Build capacity to conduct psychosocial risk assessments as part of disaster preparedness and vulnerability analysis.
• Enhance participant ability to design prevention and preparedness strategies that reduce mental health impacts of disasters.
• Develop competencies in coordinating mental health and psychosocial support within multi-sector disaster response systems.
• Improve skills in applying community-based and culturally responsive approaches to disaster-related mental health support.
• Strengthen capacity to protect the mental wellbeing of responders and frontline personnel.
• Enhance understanding of mental health needs in displacement, evacuation, and relocation contexts.
• Prepare participants to integrate mental health into climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction strategies.
• Build skills in monitoring, evaluation, and learning for mental health components of DRM programs.
• Strengthen ethical and rights-based approaches to mental health in emergencies.
• Empower participants to contribute to resilient recovery and long-term psychosocial wellbeing after disasters.

Comprehensive Course Outline

Module 1: Introduction to Mental Health and Disaster Risk Management

• Disaster risk management concepts and frameworks
• Mental health impacts of disasters
• Psychosocial vulnerability and resilience
• Integrating mental health into DRM systems

Module 2: Disaster Risk Reduction and Mental Health

• Prevention and mitigation strategies
• Risk profiling and vulnerability assessment
• Community resilience and coping capacities
• Mental health–sensitive DRR planning

Module 3: Policy, Governance, and Coordination

• National DRM and health policies
• Multi-sector coordination mechanisms
• Roles of government and non-state actors
• Accountability and leadership structures

Module 4: Psychosocial Risk Assessment

• Identifying mental health risk factors
• Population-specific vulnerabilities
• Assessment tools and methodologies
• Data use in preparedness planning

Module 5: Preparedness and Early Intervention

• Mental health preparedness planning
• Community awareness and education
• Early warning and psychosocial preparedness
• Training responders and volunteers

Module 6: Mental Health in Emergency Response

• Psychological first aid principles
• Acute stress reactions and stabilization
• Referral pathways and service coordination
• Integrating MHPSS into response operations

Module 7: Protection of Vulnerable Populations

• Children, older persons, and persons with disabilities
• Gender-based violence and protection risks
• Cultural and social considerations
• Inclusive response strategies

Module 8: Supporting Responders and Frontline Workers

• Occupational stress and trauma exposure
• Peer support and supervision systems
• Burnout and compassion fatigue prevention
• Organizational duty of care

Module 9: Displacement, Migration, and Mental Health

• Psychosocial impacts of displacement
• Mental health in camps and host communities
• Social cohesion and conflict sensitivity
• Durable solutions and recovery

Module 10: Community-Based Recovery and Healing

• Community-led psychosocial recovery
• Collective rituals and social support
• Livelihoods and mental wellbeing
• Monitoring recovery outcomes

Module 11: Mental Health in Climate-Related Disasters

• Climate anxiety and eco-distress
• Slow-onset disasters and mental health
• Adaptation and resilience strategies
• Integrating mental health into climate action

Module 12: Public Health Emergencies and Pandemics

• Mental health impacts of outbreaks
• Risk communication and misinformation
• Continuity of care during emergencies
• Lessons from global health crises

Module 13: Ethics, Human Rights, and Safeguarding

• Ethical principles in emergencies
• Rights-based mental health approaches
• Safeguarding and do-no-harm practices
• Accountability mechanisms

Module 14: Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning

• Indicators for mental health in DRM
• Participatory monitoring approaches
• Learning and adaptive management
• Reporting and accountability

Module 15: Digital Tools and Innovation

• Digital mental health in emergencies
• Mobile data collection and coordination
• Opportunities and risks of technology
• Data protection and privacy

Module 16: Integrated Planning and System Strengthening

• Developing integrated DRM action plans
• Stakeholder engagement and partnerships
• Sustainability and financing strategies
• Measuring resilience and long-term impact

Training Approach

This course will be delivered by our skilled trainers who have vast knowledge and experience as expert professionals in the fields. The course is taught in English and through a mix of theory, practical activities, group discussion and case studies. Course manuals and additional training materials will be provided to the participants upon completion of the training.

Tailor-Made Course

This course can also be tailor-made to meet organization requirement. For further inquiries, please contact us on: Email: training@upskilldevelopment.com Tel: +254 721 331 808

Training Venue

The training will be held at our Upskill Training Centre. We also offer training for a group at requested location all over the world. The course fee covers the course tuition, training materials, two break refreshments, airport transfers, Upskill gift package and buffet lunch.

Visa application, travel expenses, dinners, accommodation, insurance, and other personal expenses are catered by the participant

Certification

Participants will be issued with Upskill certificate upon completion of this course.

Airport Pickup and Accommodation

Airport pickup and accommodation is arranged upon request. For booking contact our Training Coordinator through Email: training@upskilldevelopment.com, +254 721 331 808

Terms of Payment

Unless otherwise agreed between the two parties payment of the course fee should be done 3 working days before commencement of the training so as to enable us to prepare better