Tips for Health Care Practitioners and Responders: Helping Survivors Cope with Grief After a Disaster or Traumatic Event

For Public Health

About

This fact sheet offers tips for helping community members cope with grief after a traumatic event or disaster. It includes communication strategies, definitions of traumatic and complicated grief, and descriptions of grief symptoms.

Female doctor in a lab coat listening while a distressed patient talks.

Resource information

Resource: Tips for Health Care Practitioners and Responders: Helping Survivors Cope with Grief After a Disaster or Traumatic Event

Developed by

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Target audiences

  • Public health professionals
  • Emergency managers
  • Mental health professionals

Target situation

Public health professionals who want to communicate with community members coping with grief following a disaster or traumatic event.

Main objectives

Secondary objectives

  • Legitimize Stress
  • Community Engagement

Resource Type

Fact sheet

Publication Year

2017

Print
Content Source
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
About This Page
Published: May 6, 2026
Updated: September 5, 2024

This page was last updated on this date. Updates may include minor edits, image changes, or other modifications to page content.

Reviewed: September 11, 2026

The information on this page was last reviewed by subject matter experts to ensure accuracy.