Disseminating early interventions for disaster mental health response using the ECHO model

Abstract

AbstractExtension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO)‐based telementoring was evaluated for disseminating early disaster interventions, Psychological First Aid (PFA) and Skills for Psychological Recovery (SPR), to school professionals throughout rural, disaster‐affected communities further affected by COVID‐19. PFA and SPR complemented their Multitiered System of Support: PFA complemented tier 1 (universal) and SPR tier 2 (targeted) prevention. We evaluated the outcomes of a pretraining webinar (164 participants, January 2021) and four‐part PFA training (84 participants, June 2021) and SPR training (59 participants, July 2021) across five levels of Moore's continuing medical education evaluation framework: (1) participation, (2) satisfaction, (3) learning, (4) competence, and (5) performance, using pre‐, post‐, and 1‐month follow‐up surveys. Positive training outcomes were observed across all five levels, with high participation and satisfaction throughout, and high use at the 1‐month follow‐up. ECHO‐based telementoring may successfully engage and train community providers in these underused early disaster response models. Recommendations regarding training format and using evaluation to improve training are provided.