Mass Care and Shelter Guidance for Emergency ... - Moreno Valley

health support for shelter residents is very important in helping people to deal with theirlosses and begin the recovery process. It will also help people to manage feelings ofpost-traumatic stress. Planning considerations are:A. Enlist Mental Health Counselors – Plan to work with the Logistics Section ofthe Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to obtain as many qualified personnelas possible to provide counseling and support disaster victims with theiremotional needs.a. Community Counseling Resources – In addition to County MentalHealth (see below), develop a resource list of community mental healthproviders or services to call upon if needed. These resources include:Community Based Organizations (CBO) that provide crisiscounseling.Pastoral Counseling Services (congregations and faith-basedorganizations often provide counseling services).Volunteers from the community who are trained as licensedtherapists.Note: In a large disaster, the available pool of County Mental Healthcounselors may be extremely limited (similar to the situation with PublicHealth Nurses).B. Role of County Mental Medical Servicesa. Assess Mental Health Needs – To assess and activate responses tomental health issues resulting from the disaster.b. Provide Crisis Support – To provide crisis support services for shelterand community residents traumatized by the disaster.C. Organizing Additional Supporta. Debriefing Sessions – Without trained counselors, shelter personnel canorganize community group debriefing sessions as an opportunity forshelter residents to share their feelings and to realize that their particularreactions are not abnormal.b. Children – Consider activities to help children express their feelings aboutthe disaster.RivCo OA Mass Care & Shelter GuidanceSection 5 – Shelter Operations27