Essentials of Church Disaster Preparedness and Response
Jamie D. Aten, Sharon Topping, & Ryan Denney University of Southern Mississippi
Support Provided by:
*The Church Disaster Mental Health Project is funded by a grant
from the Pew Charitable Trusts and Rand Gulf States Policy Institute. *This research was funded by the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Minority Health through a grant from the University of Mississippi Medical Center's Mississippi Institute for Improvement of Geographic Minority Health whose quest is to eliminate health disparities. *The Clergy/Mental Health Partnership is funded by the Red Cross Resilency Fund and Foundation for the MidSouth in collaboration with the Interfaith Disaster Task Force. *The Clergy Disaster Response Network is funded by the United Jewish Communities Foundation in collaboration with the Interfaith Disaster Task Force. The findings, opinions and recommendations expressed therein are those of the author and not necessarily those of the funding agencies.
Introduction to Faith Communities and Disasters
Integral to spiritual, sociopolitical, economic,
and psychological disaster recovery
Are often used as a source of coping during
distressful times
Can offer meaning, resources, hope, and
emotional support after a disaster
Clergy report being overwhelmed by needs
following disasters
Lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina
Purpose
The purpose of this seminar presentation is
to help prepare mental health professionals to collaborate with clergy and church leaders to equip churches and faith communities for disasters.
Disaster Response Phases
(Adapted from Zunin/Meyers)
Equipping Churches for Disaster Preparedness & Response
How to get started:
Identify a local disaster response coordinator
from your congregation
Develop a disaster ministry leadership team Complete preparedness and response
inventories and plans
Begin educating and equipping volunteers
Church Disaster Preparedness
Identify assumptions about disasters Network with disaster agencies Define church disaster mission Obtain detailed building description Inventory emergency supplies and safety measures Create communication plan Ensure appropriate evacuation plan Encourage personal disaster planning Identify vulnerable individuals and groups Establish recovery/service continuity plan Make plan for attending to community/neighborhood Protect and insure properties Consider seeking charity status/non-profit status
Disaster Preparedness for Church Members
Encourage congregation members to:
Make a “Go-Bag” (see www.nyc.gov/oem) Decide upon a post-disaster meeting place Make special needs known Develop a post-disaster communication plan Obtain proper insurance Set aside emergency fund Create an evacuation plan Create a family disaster preparedness plan
Family Disaster Preparedness Planning
Sample components:
Essentials (e.g., battery-operated radio, flashlight) Water (3 gallon per person minimum plus water for sanitation) Three-day supply of non-perishable food First Aid Kit Non-prescription and prescription drugs Tools and supplies (paper to chainsaw) Sanitation supplies Clothing (e.g., rain gear) and sleeping bag Baby supplies if needed (e.g., formula, diapers) Important family documents Entertainment (e.g., books or toys for children)
Church Evacuation Planning
Identify emergency exits and procedures
Post contact information for emergency numbers
and contact persons
Identify at least two alternate locations for
services (one in and one out of your neighborhood)
Use church communication structures to convey
evacuations (e.g., “prayer chain”)
Inform your congregation and community about
your evacuation plan (make it visible)
Church Continuity of Operations Planning
Conduct a risk assessment (e.g., What are the churches
vulnerabilities?)
Plan for utility disruptions Know what staff, materials, and equipment are essential
to maintain operations
Identify church programs and outreach ministries that
could be utilized after disasters
Prioritize post-disaster programs Take inventory of losses post-disaster Consider applying for post-disaster grants
Possible Post-Disaster Church Roles
Help community make meaning of their disaster
experience
Provide advocacy (e.g., People before Ports) Case management services
Raise awareness about disaster mental health
Participate in rebuilding housing projects Provide emotional support and pastoral care Become liaison and referral source Use church facilities as a resource center
Possible Post-Disaster Church Facilities Uses
Bulk distribution center (e.g., food, clothing) Child care center Communication center Information center (e.g., Health Fairs) Shelter (pre-and-post disaster)
Gathering point
Volunteer headquarters Food ministry (e.g., soup kitchen, “meals on wheels”,
Angel food ministry) Command center Town hall meeting place Social services center
Possibilities for Clergy-Mental Health Professional Disaster Collaboration
Develop educational and outreach
opportunities:
Effects of disaster on mental health Referral guidelines Overcoming perceived stigma
“You train the pastors, we train the congregation, and the congregation trains the community…”
Possibilities for Clergy-Mental Health Professional Disaster Collaboration
Lead mental health assessments:
Identification of disaster related mental health problems Use focus groups of church leaders Brief instruments for congregational assessments
“To be honest, I don’t even know what mental health needs existed in my church after Katrina” “Was this [psychological symptoms] sort term? Was it going to be long term? It was hard to tell after Katrina.”
Possibilities for Clergy-Mental Health Professional Disaster Collaboration
Offer consultation activities:
Pre-disaster planning Post-disaster planning Process of planning and content
“If you don’t have a plan, you don’t have actions, and you know what that ends up looking like…it just ain’t good.”
Possibilities for Clergy-Mental Health Professional Disaster Collaboration
Provide clinically-focused services:
Crisis counseling services post Katrina (shortterm, solution focused one-on-one therapy) Sensitive to spiritual & multicultural issues Knowledge of inpatient treatment programs
“Is that person going to be okay I would think to myself…I just did the best I could, that’s what we all did, that’s what we had to do…I know we had folks that needed like serious clinical care.”
Possibilities for Clergy-Mental Health Professional Disaster Collaboration
Provide spiritual resources and support system
through the church:
Church as referral source to meet spiritual needs Church as a source of social support and outreach Formalized partnership with mental health professionals to provide spiritual direction and pastoral care to members and those in need
“You see this? [pointing to a picture] This elderly lady had nothing after Katrina, no one to help her, but our church not only built her a new house, we have a ministry of good folks that go and check on her every week, just to see how she is doing.”
Examples of Church-Mental Health Disaster Collaboration
Church Disaster Mental Health Project:
Provides in-person disaster mental health training and outreach to clergy and churches
Offers consultation services to equip faith communities for disasters Provides online disaster mental health training and resources (www.churchdisasterhelp.org)
Emphasis on reaching African American churches
Examples of Church-Mental Health Disaster Collaboration
Clergy/Mental Health Partnership:
Organizing Mental Health Summit with mental health, pastoral care, and mental health-pastoral care collaboration tracks
Networking religious leaders and mental health providers to facilitate appropriate bi-directional assessment, services, and referral Providing mental health training for religious leaders and spiritual sensitivity training for mental health providers Offering emotional support/resiliency programs for religious leaders
Examples of Church-Mental Health Disaster Collaboration
Disaster Clergy Response Network:
Providing disaster first responder training and creditial to clergy Developing ethical codes, application process, and requirements for disaster clergy credential Working with MS Departments of Mental Health and Health to integrate credentialed clergy into the state disaster response plan Identifying regional coordinators and dispatch system
Conclusion
Successful disaster preparedness and response
begins with planning
Mental health professionals have unique skills
for helping churches respond to disasters
Additional training and research is needed
around disaster collaboration issues
Questions and comments