How will climate change impact many people first? Through stress, our response to increasingly uncertain weather conditions and the increasing pace of climate disasters, Dr. Reggie Ferreira, Associate Director of the Traumatology Institute at Tulane University's School of Social Work. Having worked as part of New Orleans' recovery after Hurricane Katrina and in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria, Dr. Ferreira has advice for cities and citizens who are facing climate change: Prepare by planning for disaster and building a strong social network that can work together in the wake of a hurricane, wildfire, or other weather-related disasters. Dr. Ferreira is also the editor of the American Psychological Association's journal of disaster and trauma, Traumatology, and head of the Society for Social Work Research's Disaster Research Group.

In his conversation with Earth911's Mitch Ratcliffe, Dr. Ferreira shares his own experience in disaster zones and advice for the mental health community. Robust social connections are critical to community responses to disasters. Psychologists and other social workers need to rethink the way they organize responses, starting before a storm or fire to build the relationships that can overcome traditional social services models. He also explains how the impact of disasters on the poorest and most disadvantaged people, including the mentally ill, is greater than other segments of society. By preparing these communities, a city can be more resilient in the face of a hurricane's destruction as well as better for everyone on a daily basis. Communication and trust are tested by disasters and establishing a strong social bond before they strike is the keystone for successful responses to climate change-caused misery.

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