Disasters don’t just rob people of homes, property, and sometimes lives; they create extreme stress and trauma. Emergency managers and first responders place the psychological needs of disaster survivors second to saving lives and providing temporary shelter, food, and water. However, addressing psychological needs following disaster is now more appreciated and planned for than at any time in the past. It’s also better understood that restoring basic necessities does not just satisfy physical and practical needs, but psychological ones as well. There are fewer stigmas around requesting mental health support post-disaster. This is fortunate because in the United States and around the world, disasters are becoming more frequent and more intense. The US has the most extreme weather in the world with tornado, hurricane, and wildfire seasons, along with the most gun violence, mass shootings, and mass killings in the developed world. Countries with less frequent natural disasters and less gun violence can nonetheless face daunting challenges when disaster strikes due to poverty, lack of response capacity, poor building construction, lack of medical supplies, and so on. These difficulties can extend survivors’ suffering and delay their recovery, placing them at higher risk of developing extreme mental health reactions in response to the disaster. A growing body of research has guided the practice of disaster mental health. We know that disasters that are big and bad and long will have significant mental health consequences in the short and long terms. They will cause both transient distress in the majority of survivors and longterm psychopathology in a minority of survivors (North & Pfefferbaum, 2013). Following disaster there will likely be an increase in grief and traumatic grief, alcohol and substance misuse, depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress, and family conflict (Bonanno, Brewin, Kaniasty & La Greca, 2010). We also understand the risk and resilience factors that make some people more vulnerable to developing symptoms. For example, knowing that children are particularly at risk for lasting reactions allows planners and responders to better target assistance to them, their parents, and schools. We can also identify other vulnerable and at-risk populations,