A Study of mental health preparedness in the disaster management planning process of the municipalities in Lithuania
ENPotentially traumatic events, such as wars, natural and technological disasters and economic crises have not only negative physical but also psychological consequences. After a disaster, the number of people with psychological trauma far exceeds the number of people with physical injury, but there is much more research and emergency response focus on the physical effects. Psychosocial resilience is the ability of a community to return to its pre-event level of functioning. Thus, a desirable objective is to create a resilient social systems which are able to neutralize any disaster impact. The responsibility of disaster management rests with the three spheres of government, namely, national, regional and local government (municipalities). Each municipality in Lithuania is responsible for the development of the inclusive disaster management plan that guides all municipal activities, responsibilities in the event of a progressive or sudden, widespread or localised, natural or humancaused occurrence. Mental health preparedness is an essential and integral part of the disaster management plan [p. 12].
