Psychological First Aid (PFA)

Psychological First Aid (PFA) is an evidence-informed, modular approach designed to support individuals—children, adolescents, adults, and families—immediately after disasters or traumatic events such as terrorism. Created by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network and the National Center for PTSD, PFA aims to reduce initial distress and promote both short- and long-term coping and functioning.

PFA recognizes that not everyone affected will develop lasting mental health issues, but many may experience a wide range of physical, emotional, behavioral, and spiritual reactions. It provides compassionate, flexible support to help individuals manage these early responses.

The core actions of PFA are adaptable to meet the specific needs of each person and are meant to be applied within the first days or weeks post-event. It is suitable for use in a wide variety of settings, including shelters, hospitals, crisis centers, homes, and workplaces, and can be administered by mental health professionals and other disaster response personnel.

The eight PFA Core Actions include:

• Contact and Engagement: To respond to contacts initiated by survivors, or to initiate contacts in a non-intrusive, compassionate, and helpful manner.
• Safety and Comfort: To enhance immediate and ongoing safety, and provide physical and emotional comfort.
• Stabilization (if needed): To calm and orient emotionally overwhelmed or disoriented survivors.
• Information Gathering on Current Needs and Concerns: To identify immediate needs and concerns, gather additional information, and tailor Psychological First Aid interventions.
• Practical Assistance: To offer practical help to survivors in addressing immediate needs and concerns.
• Connection with Social Supports: To help establish brief or ongoing contacts with primary support persons and other sources of support, including family members, friends, and community helping resources.
• Information on Coping: To provide information about stress reactions and coping to reduce distress and promote adaptive functioning.
• Linkage with Collaborative Services: To link survivors with available services needed at the time or in the future.
• Further Resources