TUFH2026
Abstract Submission
TUFH2026
Mental Health Disaster Preparedness Summit
From Crisis to Capacity: Practical Models for Mental Health Disaster Preparedness
The The Network: Towards Unity for Health (TUFH), in collaboration with PreAct Global (in partnership with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and international partners) and the American Psychiatric Association (APA), invites you to a high-impact, action-oriented Summit dedicated to advancing practical, scalable solutions for mental health in disaster and emergency settings.
As crises become more frequent and complex—ranging from climate-related disasters and conflict to public health emergencies—the need for prepared, resilient, and responsive mental health systems has never been greater. This Summit moves beyond theory, focusing on what works in real-world contexts, and how to build capacity before, during, and after disasters.
Bringing together global experts, frontline practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and community leaders, this Summit is designed to build a living Community of Practice—one that extends beyond a single day and drives sustained collaboration, knowledge exchange, and implementation worldwide.
What Makes This Summit Different
It is a solutions-driven, hybrid, interactive experience that combines:
-
Foundational understanding of disaster mental health systems
-
Proven frameworks and field-tested models
-
Interactive tabletop exercises to simulate real-world coordination
-
Insights from frontline and crisis-affected settings
-
Practical guidance on low-tech, high-impact interventions
-
Critical discussions on the opportunities and risks of AI in mental health
-
Direct access to global expertise, tools, and collaborative networks
From Knowledge to Action
Participants will:
• Explore core concepts and definitions in disaster mental health
• Engage with practical models and implementation strategies
• Learn how to design effective preparedness and response systems
• Understand multi-sector collaboration and stakeholder engagement
• Gain access to best-in-class resources and training pathways
• Join a global community of practice committed to long-term impact
Road to TUFH 2026 – Pre-Summit Learning Opportunities
As part of the journey toward the Summit, participants are encouraged to engage in pre-event learning experiences to build foundational knowledge and maximize impact:
Disaster and Preventive Psychiatry: Protecting Health and Fostering Community Resilience
A free, self-paced online training offered through the American Psychiatric Association
Psychiatric Dimensions of Disasters – 9th Annual Training Course
June 12, 2026
Delivered by Disaster Psychiatry Canada, focusing on practical, clinical, and systems-level approaches to disaster psychiatry
These pre-events provide a strong foundation, ensuring participants arrive at the Summit ready to engage, contribute, and co-create solutions.
Date and Time
Thursday, August 6, 2026
- 08:00 AM – 09:00 AM Keynote Address TUFH 2026
- 09:00 AM – 09:30 AM Wellness Break
- 09:30 AM – 10:30 AM Basic Disaster Mental Health Community
- 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM Model for Adaptive Response to Complex Cyclical Disasters
- 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM Lunch
- 12:30 PM – 01:30 PM Tabletops
- 01:30 PM – 02:30 PM Keynote Address TUFH 2026
- 02:30 PM – 03:00 PM Wellness Break/Short film
- 03:00 PM – 03:30 PM Low Tech, High Fidelity Interventions
- 03:30 PM – 04:00 PM Drama Therapy Workshop
- 04:00 PM – 04:30 PM AI use and misuse
- 04:30 PM – 05:00 PM Best in class resources
- 05:00 PM – 07:00 PM Cultural Dinner
Register and Submit
Register
To attend the Summit, please register for the TUFH 2026 Conference.
Submit
We invite abstracts for Oral Presentations on Mental Health Disaster Preparedness.
DEADLINE – April 30, 2026
Program
From Crisis to Capacity: Practical Models for Mental Health Disaster Preparedness
Basic Disaster Mental Health Community
09:30 AM – 10:30 AM
Foundations of Disaster Mental Health: Core Concepts, Systems, and Community Approaches
Gain a clear, practical introduction to disaster mental health, including key definitions, core principles, and the structure of effective community-based responses. This session will provide a shared foundation for all participants, ensuring a common language and understanding to support collaboration, coordination, and real-world implementation in crisis settings.

Model for Adaptive Response to Complex Cyclical Disasters
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
The MARCCD Model (Modular Approach to Resilience and Community Care in Disasters): Building Coordinated, Scalable Mental Health Responses
Explore the MARCCD model as a structured, systems-based approach to mental health disaster preparedness and response. This session introduces its core components and demonstrates how it enables coordination across sectors, rapid mobilization, and continuity of care in crisis settings. Through expert discussion, participants will reflect on real-world applications, adaptability across contexts, and how the model can be integrated into existing health and community systems.
Tabletops
12:30 PM – 13:30 PM
From Planning to Practice: The Power of Tabletop Exercises in Mental Health Disaster Preparedness
Discover how tabletop exercises can strengthen coordination, clarify roles, and enhance real-world readiness in disaster contexts. This session will explore the key benefits of simulation-based planning, who should be involved, and how to design inclusive, effective exercises that bring together health systems, communities, and cross-sector partners.
Low Tech, High Fidelity Interventions
03:00 PM – 03:30 PM
Low-Tech, High-Impact: Delivering Mental Health Support in Crisis Settings (Iryna Frankova – Ukraine Experience)
Learn how effective mental health interventions can be delivered in the most challenging environments using simple, accessible tools. Drawing on frontline experience from Ukraine, this session highlights practical, adaptable approaches that maintain high quality of care, even in low-resource and rapidly changing crisis settings.
Drama Therapy Workshop
03:30 PM – 04:00 PM
Healing Through Expression: Drama Therapy Workshops for Trauma and Resilience (Michael Reisman)
Explore how drama therapy can be used as a powerful, experiential tool to support mental health in disaster and crisis settings. This session introduces creative, body-based approaches that help individuals process trauma, rebuild connection, and foster resilience—adaptable across cultures, communities, and resource levels.
AI Use and Misuse
04:00 PM – 04:30 PM
AI in Mental Health Preparedness: Opportunities, Risks, and Responsible Use
Examine how artificial intelligence is shaping mental health support in disaster contexts—from early detection and triage to decision support and scaling care. This session will explore both the potential and the pitfalls, addressing ethical considerations, bias, data privacy, and the risks of misuse, while highlighting how AI can be applied responsibly to strengthen preparedness and response.
Best in Class Resources
04:30 PM – 05:00 PM
From Access to Excellence: Leveraging Best-in-Class Resources for Mental Health Disaster Preparedness
Discover what defines high-quality resources in disaster mental health and how to effectively access, apply, and scale them in your context. This session will guide participants through available tools, training pathways, and global resources, while offering practical strategies to build and sustain expertise over time at individual, institutional, and system levels.

Abstract Guidelines
Oral Presentations
Details
Oral Presentations allow 5 minutes to present your work with a poster for visual effect followed by a facilitated discussion among presenters and conference participants. The moderator will invite participants to ask questions and to share experiences pertinent to themes brought up in the presentations. At the conference, contributors and participants will meet in groups of about 30 persons for two-hour sessions. Use this format when writing about research: Introduction – Methods -Results – Discussion – Conclusion.
TUFH 2026 is very proud to host the 2 hour-long oral presentation and discussion sessions where students and professionals can present their work using a poster for visual effect. Usually, the presenter has worked on this project for one or more years. They will present the timeline, agenda, goals, results, difficulties, implementation possibilities, etc. Oral Presentations are not always research based, but can also be used to describe a project or organization. The discussion is guided by a moderator who will also seek to facilitate future collaborations based on the projects that are presented. The projects are on different topics linked to a theme and can be in different stages (research project, running project, concluded project, or study). The presenters of Oral Presentations are key to the Scientific value of the TUFH 2025 conference. It is their projects that attendees of the TUFH 2025 conference come to learn about.
AVAILABLE for PHYSICAL and VIRTUAL PARTICIPANTS to PRESENT.
Oral Presentation Guidelines: https://tufh2026.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/ORAL-SESSION-GUIDELINES-TUFH-2026.pdf
Oral Presentation Simple Template: https://tufh2026.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TUFH-2026-Oral-Presentation.pptx
Oral Presentation Poster Upload: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeBnebtvPU0zSQe5XcY_gUra219oV673JmRuyNaRq92Am-lnQ/viewform
