Question
What is the purpose Psychological First Aid?
Answer
The purpose of Psychological First Aid (PFA) is to assess the immediate concerns and needs of an individual in the aftermath of a disaster, and not to provide onsite therapy. We are not looking to provide therapy in the PFA process, although that is not to say that we will not make a referral to somebody who might be providing therapy.
That is also not to say that you are not someone who does provide therapy in the community that you might get a referral from. But when we talk just about PFA, PFA does not include therapy because it is focused more on the immediate needs of individuals during a disaster.
This Ask the Expert is an edited excerpt from the webinar, Disaster Mental Health: Psychological First Aid on Disaster Assignment, presented by Jennifer Carlson, MSW, PhD CEM, LCSW
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