Week 6 - Establishing & Clarifying Roles
Activity 1: Mental Health Services During an Emergency
Mental Health Services During an Emergency:
What’s needed? Who Convenes? Who is Involved?
Disasters cause tremendous harm to the physical environment, as well as loss of life, economic loss, and displacement of impacted residents. These dramatic and sudden changes can also cause major stresses to the mental and behavioral health of everyone affected.
The range of stakeholder groups involved with assisting those impacted—and the differing local policy requirements they operate within—is diverse and numerous. At the local level, mental health services are primarily carried out at the county level, but distinct community-based organizations (CBOs) exist at the city level as well. In a ‘normal’ daily environment the web of mental health services and how to coordinate them is complicated at best; during an emergency the relationships become even more unclear, confusing and reactionary.
Your team is tasked with planning a public meeting to discuss what are the most important services that are expected to be needed in your jurisdiction for mental health support during a disaster. The numerous provider groups are expected to attend as well as community members.
Q: What pre-meeting work would you undertake and how would it determine your public meeting design? Where would you hold this public meeting and how would you gather input in an orderly fashion? What other factors or issues would you need to consider?
What’s needed? Who Convenes? Who is Involved?
Disasters cause tremendous harm to the physical environment, as well as loss of life, economic loss, and displacement of impacted residents. These dramatic and sudden changes can also cause major stresses to the mental and behavioral health of everyone affected.
The range of stakeholder groups involved with assisting those impacted—and the differing local policy requirements they operate within—is diverse and numerous. At the local level, mental health services are primarily carried out at the county level, but distinct community-based organizations (CBOs) exist at the city level as well. In a ‘normal’ daily environment the web of mental health services and how to coordinate them is complicated at best; during an emergency the relationships become even more unclear, confusing and reactionary.
Your team is tasked with planning a public meeting to discuss what are the most important services that are expected to be needed in your jurisdiction for mental health support during a disaster. The numerous provider groups are expected to attend as well as community members.
Q: What pre-meeting work would you undertake and how would it determine your public meeting design? Where would you hold this public meeting and how would you gather input in an orderly fashion? What other factors or issues would you need to consider?