People around the world are experiencing the physical and mental health effects of the climate crisis. When it comes to mental health and wellness in our communities, climate change is a population-level trauma that we all need to process, whether in the wake of an acute natural disaster or slow climate change-related changes, such as loss of biodiversity or increasing temperatures, that can produce more general climate anxiety. Young people in particular are struggling to cope with fears around their future and whether they'll have the power to shape it. Other vulnerable populations are coping with the compounding mental health effects of climate change overlaid with other stressors, such as financial insecurity or race-based violence. These issues are beyond the capacity of traditional mental health services; there simply aren't enough therapists to address this collective trauma. To meet this growing need, equitable, community-level public health interventions must build resilience and strengthen mental health and wellness.

This workshop will explore how to design such interventions, based on recommendations from APHA and CDC's Climate and Health Playbook: Adaptation Planning for Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and focusing on how to prioritize vulnerable populations.

Meet the Speakers

The recording for this webinar will be available soon. In the meantime, we encourage you to review the resources.