OPA Committee on Social Responsibility: Managing Stress During Disaster

Monday, March 14, 2011

Managing Stress During Disaster

The recent media coverage about the earthquake in Japan and subsequent tsunami has generated some anxiety. For people with friends and family living in regions affected by earthquakes, watching news coverage of the earthquake’s devastation can be very distressing, particularly if there is no news on their safety and well-being. Even for those without personal connections to the country, the news coverage can be overwhelming. The APA Help Center has some excellent suggestions about managing stress during these times, including (1) turn off the TV, (2) control what you can, and (3) engage in health behaviors. For more information and details about coping, please visit the "Managing Your Distress About the Earthquake from Afar" brochure website.

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Goals

1. Enhance image of psychologists through encouraging pro bono work.

a) Suicide Prevention Walks in October
b) “For the Greater Good” articles highlighting volunteer work by Ohio Psychologists
c) Media Award

2. Plan for unique community programs that can be implemented under the auspices of the OPA, involving psychologists and others.

a) Eating Disorder Awareness Week (February)
b) Legislative Health Fair (May)
c) VA Health Fair, Mental Health Awareness Month (May)
d) A Home Within Project
e) YMCA Programs
f) Library Programs
g) High school psychology class speaker requests

3. Inform and educate the OPA Board and member psychologists about relevant social justice issues that affect Ohio residents in collaboration with the Diversity Committee, LGBT Subcommittee and other parts of the OPA structure.

a) “Did You Know” articles in the OPA Notes e-newsletter
b) Foodbank Drive (May-June)
c) Social networking
i) OPA Facebook Page
ii) OPA on Twitter
iii) COSR Blog

4. Work with the OPA Advocacy Committee to support the development of public policy that promotes equitable mental health treatment and other applications of psychological principles for societal concerns.

a) Legislative Health Fair in conjunction with OPA Legislative Day (May)
b) PEC and other committee members at State Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. (March)

5. Represent psychology in public forums and with other mental health organizations and consumers.

a) Legislative Health Fair (May)
b) VA Health Fair (May)

6. Provide resources about mental health issues to the public via the Public Education Campaign and the Public Section of the OPA website, with the purpose of informing the public about psychology, and destigmatizing mental illness and use of mental health services.

a) Social networking
i) OPA Facebook Page
ii) OPA on Twitter
iii) COSR Blog
b) Media Award
c) YMCA Programs
d) Library Programs
e) High school psychology class speaker requests
f) Legislative Health Fair
g) VA Health Fair
h) Support group resources/self-help section of OPA website

7. Work together with OPA as a whole to recognize psychologists who have contributed their expertise and service significantly to the cause of public interest.

a) “For the Greater Good” Articles
b) Media Award

8. Through the Disaster Response Network, develop a corps of trained psychologists with state and regional leadership that is linked to APA’s DRN program and is able to respond to a variety of disasters.

OPA Committee on Social Responsibility

Monday, March 14, 2011

Managing Stress During Disaster

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