Compassion Fatigue Resources For First Responders

CASAT Conversations

CASAT Conversations is a resource that uses podcasts for exploring behavioral health topics. These topics explore the complex connection between how our environment, behaviors and actions impact our health and wellbeing. With a wide-range of timely topics, CASAT Conversations is geared towards having meaningful conversations with people sharing their capacity for personal growth and change, along with expert educational insights.

• Season 1: Behind the Frontline: Supporting the Families of Frontline Staff and First Responders – Season 1 of CASAT Conversations contains 14 podcast episodes created for families and intimate partners of frontline staff and first responders.
• Season 2: Exploring the Importance of Resilience in Healthcare – Season 2 of CASAT Conversations contains 12 podcast episodes that explore the topic of resilience for primary and behavioral health providers.

SAMHSA Resources

Understanding Compassion Fatigue – Tips for Disaster Responders – This fact sheet explains the causes and signs of compassion fatigue, which is the burnout and secondary trauma disaster response workers can experience. It offers self-care tips for coping, and discusses compassion satisfaction as a protective tool (SAMHSA, 2014).

Tips for Healthcare Professionals: Coping with Stress and Compassion Fatigue (Spanish version) – Consejos para profesionales de la salud: Cómo enfrentar el estrés y la fatiga por compasión – Esta hoja de consejos examina el estrés y la fatiga por compasión, así como los signos de angustia después de una catástrofe. Se identifican formas de abordar la situación y aumentar la resiliencia, junto con recursos para obtener más información y apoyo. This tip sheet explores stress and compassion fatigue, as well as signs of distress after a disaster. It identifies ways to cope and enhance resilience, along with resources for more information and support (SAMHSA, 2021).

Tips for Healthcare Professionals: Coping with Stress and Compassion Fatigue – This tip sheet explores stress and compassion fatigue, as well as signs of distress after a disaster. It identifies ways to cope and enhance resilience, along with resources for more information and support (SAMHSA, 2020)..

Returning to Work – This fact sheet offers tips to help disaster response workers transition back to routine work. It provides information on managing stress, and how to overcome other difficulties, such as fatigue and a lack of control over emotions (SAMHSA, 2014).

Helping Staff Manage Stress When Returning to Work – This fact sheet offers tips supervisors can use to help ease the transition and manage stress for disaster response workers returning to work. It helps people recognize and reduce potential difficulties in the workplace, and enhances positive consequences for all staff (SAMHSA, 2014).

Preventing and Managing Stress – This fact sheet provides tips to help disaster response workers prevent and manage stress while on assignment. It includes strategies to help responders prepare for their assignments, take stress-reducing precautions, and manage stress in the recovery phase (SAMHSA, 2014).

Tips for Disaster Responders: Preventing And Managing Stress (Spanish Version) – Ofrece consejos para ayudar a los socorristas a prevenir y manejar el estrés. Incluye estrategias para ayudar a los socorristas a prepararse para la tarea que les ha sido asignada, tomar precauciones para reducir el estrés mientras cumplen con la tarea asignada, y manejar el estrés en la fase de recuperación de dicha asignación (SAMHSA, 2014).

Identifying Substance Misuse in the Responder Community – This fact sheet describes for disaster response workers specific warning signs of substance use disorders. It also reviews specific indicators, such as physical and emotional, social and behavioral, and mental, and highlights when people should seek help (SAMHSA, 2014).

Tips for Disaster Responders: Identifying Substance Misuse In The Responder Community (Spanish Version) – Ayuda a los socorristas a identificar cuáles son las señales de advertencia del uso indebido del alcohol, de medicamentos recetados y de otras sustancias. Repasa los indicadores físicos, emocionales, sociales, conductuales y mentales de un posible abuso de sustancias y ayuda a determinar cuándo deben buscar ayuda (SAMHSA, 2014).

A Guide to Managing Stress in Crisis Response Professions 2 – This guide aids crisis response workers in stress prevention and management before, during, and after a public health crisis. It describes the stress cycle and common stress reactions while offering tips to promote a positive workplace, and monitor and minimize stress (SAMHSA, 2005).

Psychological First Aid for First Responders – This fact sheet provides tips for emergency and disaster response workers to help disaster survivors cope with the psychological aspects of a traumatic event. It offers strategies for managing intense emotions and promoting a safe, calm environment (SAMHSA, 2004).