CAN EMERG – Canadian Emergency Response Psychosocial Support Network

Psychological distress during and after an extreme stressor, such as an emergency or disaster, is often short-lived. However, it can also develop into mental health difficulties that include depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress injury, increased substance use, and moral injury. Many people also experience anticipatory anxiety when they fear exposure to traumatic events, such as Canada’s ongoing wildfires.

Throughout this website, we present mental health and well-being resources that are intended to prevent the development of longer-term mental health difficulties following an emergency or disaster.

Here, you will find resources to help you recognize common responses to trauma and stress, to identify when you are in need of well-being supports, and to know where to go for free, evidence-informed mental health and well-being support that is available across Canada.

We also provide mental health and well-being tools and resources that are aimed to help you and your family cope before, during, and after potentially psychologically traumatic events (PPTEs) such as pandemics, natural disasters, and other emergency situations.

These tools and resources are based on psychological first aid (PFA) principles to provide basic emotional support and help build coping skills that enhance well-being and mental health. PFA has been found to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress, and distress, as well as improve mood, connectedness, and a sense of control among youth and adults.

These tools will equip all Canadians, including community members, public safety personnel, health care providers, military members and Veterans, and other essential workers to recognize common psychological responses to emergencies and disasters — as well as how and when to find support.

Here, we also recognize that emergencies and disasters may place additional burden and result in disproportionate outcomes for members of equity-deserving groups including Indigenous populations, BIPOC communities, and LGBTQ2SIA+ individuals. We address this burden by providing information about culturally sensitive mental health and well-being resources available to members of equity-deserving groups. Over time, we will also provide plain language information about these disproportionate impacts, including learning tools focused on minority stress, a theory that describes how stress related to one’s identity affects mental health.

Over time, we will also provide guidance and support to community-based, municipal, provincial, and federal organizations and leaders about how to best support the psychological needs of community members during disasters and emergencies.