Developing Innovative Responses to Students Directly Impacted by Local & National Disasters

Create Social Responses to a Changing Environment According to Strengthening the Social Response to the Human Impacts of Environmental Change, Core areas for social work leadership include: Local, national, and international disaster preparedness and response Assistance to dislocated populations Collaborative capacity building to mobilize and strengthen place based, community level resilience, assets, and action Advocacy to elevate public and policy attention to the social and human dimensions of environmental change (Kemp & Palinkas, 2015, pg 3) Terri

Flint, Michigan Water Crisis stephanie The agency personnel responding to the needs in Flint MI were themselves impacted in their own homes and lives by the water crisis. They really appreciated the opportunity to come together as a service community and receive a train the trainer experience provided by USC re: coping with ongoing trauma.

Hurricane Season 2017 HARVEY, IRMA, MARIA, NATE I have a student in that lives in Houston. She was evacuated yesterday 2 hours after I spoke to her reporting everything was ok. There is a levy that has a high possibility of breaking. The water was waist deep when her sister came to help evacuate totaling her truck driving through the water. They had to walk through waist high water to a family member's house with her 4 cats in a recycling container to keep them dry. Her mom is also undergoing radiation and the facility is closed. She has lost everything. lisa

Las Vegas Shooting Massacre One student reported……… she and her daughter were at the concert, had to climb over dead bodies to get out, but were not physically harmed. stephanie

California Wildfires His house is destroyed which adds to the complexity of his already difficult situation in placement etc. Ruth and Stephanie

Stephanie

Traditional Disaster Response Campus-based evacuation plans Utilizing Department of Public Safety on campus Not relevant/applicable to a Distance Learning Program Terri

Challenges to Disaster Response in a Distance Learning Environment Need for a cultural shift in thinking for Universities accustomed to thinking regionally Becoming informed regarding they types of events and impact they have in various geographic locations Becoming aware of the existence/extent of the disaster Communicating with affected students/agencies when phone and internet may be impacted by the disaster Staying abreast of developments which are happening quickly Lisa

What are your Experiences, Successes & Challenges with Disaster Response? Ruth

Types of “Disaster” Events that Impact Student Learning Acute Hurricane Matthew, Harvey, Irma, Maria and Nate Las Vegas & Pulse Shooting San Bernadine & School Shootings Fires, Tornados, Floods & Extreme Winter Weather Events Ongoing Flint Michigan Water Crisis California Drought Civil Unrest Political Discussion Lisa

In Response to Multiple Disaster Events a Plan Evolved Primary Purpose: Student Support to Meet Educational Goals and Connection with Trojan Family Secondary Purpose: To Model Support and Resiliency Personally and Professionally for use through their Social Work Career Terri

Preparing for Disasters Identified Key Faculty for Support Administration, Student Support/Advisors, Regional Faculty, Field Faculty & Liaisons Obtained Student & Agency Contact Lists by State Identified Types of Events & Potential Response Identified Student Needs During Man-Made & Natural Disasters Developed Email Templates Used Trial and Error Stephanie

Small Student Impact Event Classification: >20 Students Acute Examples: California Fires: 13-15 Louisiana Flooding: 12-15 students impacted Shootings: up to 20 students impacted Extended Acute Examples: Las Vegas, Pulse Shooting: Students, Alumni and Agency Involvement Ongoing Example: Flint Michigan Water Crisis: 1 student servicing impacted residents in field SUCCESSFUL PRACTICES Email sent to all students impacted prior to event (if event allows) Liaison/Placement Team outreach to all FIs and Agency Partners Secondary email follow-up with disaster response research Administration & Office of Student Life Support Field support of students and agencies as needed Individual calls to impacted students when possible Classification: 16+ Students Acute Examples: Extreme Weather Events Extended Acute Examples: Hurricane Matthew- 120+ students in impacted area Ongoing Example: Black Lives Matter Lisa

Large Student Impact Event Classification: <20 Students Acute Examples: Extreme Weather Events Extended Acute Examples: Hurricane Irma, Maria, Nate- 171+ student impacted Harvey- 80+ students impacted Hurricane Matthew- 120+ students in impacted area Ongoing Example: Civil Unrest SUCCESSFUL PRACTICES Same as small impact Debriefing session with students and SSAs Classification: 16+ Students Acute Examples: Extreme Weather Events Extended Acute Examples: Hurricane Matthew- 120+ students in impacted area Ongoing Example: Black Lives Matter Lisa

Developed by: Jen Parga, MSW stephanie Developed by: Jen Parga, MSW Clinical Assistant Professor

What Happened Next Development of a Disaster Team Development of a Formal Disaster Response Protocol & University Response Disaster Tree Identified Faculty Specialists Psychological First Aid Critical Incident Stress Debriefing Trauma Informed Intervention Field Instructor Ongoing Training Mindfulness in Supervision Trauma Informed Supervision Ruth

Q & A Terri