Widespread disasters, such as hurricanes, terrorist attacks, and viral outbreaks, represent a unique class of stressors that increase the demand for mental health care but also limit access to services. During the course of COVID-19, an unprecedented global pandemic, the detrimental effects of fear, uncertainty, and social isolation have particularly strained existing structures for psychological care. Virtual reality (VR) represents a promising means to address this still-growing need. Although VR has been applied in medical settings for decades, no existing literature has synthesized the strength of empirical support for VR's acceptability, feasibility, and efficacy in the context of disaster mental health. In an attempt to fill this urgent need, the present systematic review summarizes the findings of 21 diverse studies of VR as a tool for disaster-related psychological resilience training, psychological first aid, or counseling. With an eye toward VR's potential utility to address the incredible need for services created by the COVID-19 pandemic, we offer recommendations for key future directions and methodological considerations in the context of disaster mental health.What is the significance of this article for the general public?This systematic review contributes to a wider understanding of virtual reality and other technological advancements as acceptable, widely applicable enhancements to mental health interventions for community disasters. Virtual reality has great potential to address barriers to treatment highlighted by the recent COVID-19 pandemic, including high stress levels, geographic distance from providers, and social isolation.