The goal of this course is to prepare licensed mental health professionals and students in graduate mental health programs in clinical and counseling psychology, psychiatry, social work, counseling, marriage and family therapy, and psychiatric nursing to serve communities' disaster mental health needs.

The timing of topics in this course and the topics themselves may be altered due to Dr. Jacobs' disaster work in the U.S. and humanitarian assistance internationally. He is an officer on the Red Cross national disaster team and the Critical Response Team. Dr. Jacobs will not be on alert status during the on-campus portion and would only be likely to be activated in the event of a national emergency. Dr. Jacobs will be travelling during portions of the distance education components, and will be travelling for several weeks during the second distance component and for several weeks after the distance component, delaying responses to projects. This will be discussed in class.

Attendance. (20%) The issue of attendance relates to three different criteria: 1) The American Red Cross (Red Cross) will only allow a student to miss one hour of the Red Cross courses in order to receive certification for DMHS. Hence missing one class will prevent certification, and not all sessions can be made up without taking DMHS-1 over; 2) The American Psychological Association (APA) has very rigid requirements for continuing education; and 3) Attendance will be one factor in the consideration of the grade for the course. I expect that students will attend all class periods and will let either myself or Kristy Ostrom, the DMHI secretary, know (in advance whenever possible) of the need for an excused absence.

Participation. (20%) There will be a number of exercises during the course. Everyone is expected to participate in at least some of the exercises. In addition, comments, questions, and brilliant insights are expected from everyone. based on assigned readings as well as class lecture and discussion. This course is made up of budding and experienced mental health professionals. The insight and knowledge of all needs to be shared as time allows. The Red Cross section of the course is relatively regulated, but even that provides for discussion time.

Distance Components Thought Papers. (20%) For each chapter and pdf document assigned above you are to email a thought paper to Dr. Jacobs. This is intended to include: a) your thoughts about the most important points in the chapter, and b) your reflections on what that means for our work in the field. Length should be the equivalent of no more than three typed double-spaced pages.

Major Product. (40%) There will be no exams and only one major product for the course. In an effort to have a meaningful exercise for each participant, I am asking that each of you prepare a disaster mental health annex for the disaster response plan for a community. This would involve assessing potential disasters in the community, the number of victims likely to result, and the mental health resources available for a response. The first session of the class will specifically address some of the issues which need to be examined in the preparation of such a plan. It would be profitable to make note of the material presented in class on this topic when preparing your major product. You will be expected to determine existing plans for the community. Students may form groups to work collaboratively on this project. This would be preferred if you are planning to prepare your plan for the same community at least in terms of contact with community officials, so that they are not buried with what they may well perceive as nuisance requests. Specific communities to be worked with must be approved. Please submit choices by our first on-campus class June 8. It would be profitable to have made some contact with community officials before the first on-campus meeting to determine existing disaster preparedness plans and whether any disaster mental health plans currently exist. Be sure to check with the local component of the Red Cross as well so that the plans can be coordinated.

I would welcome it if people from the same community or region wished to work together, collaborating to produce a more effective plan. Nevertheless, anyone found to be cheating in any manner, or who is guilty of academic misconduct (e.g., misrepresenting attendance or participation; harassing guest professors, submitting existing plans as their own), will be assigned a grade of "F" for the course, not merely for the project involving the misconduct. See the University of South Dakota student handbook for further definitions of academic misconduct. An additional note: Serious academic misconduct will result in forfeiture of continuing education

A grade of "incomplete" will only be granted in unusual situations. If you feel you need an extension of the course deadlines, submit your request in writing to Dr. Jacobs before July 19, 2004.