Rescue and medical workers may be at risk for negative emotional experience following intervention efforts in disaster situations. To examine this possibility, 120 rescue and hospital personnel responded to a survey of their emotional reactions and coping behaviors 3 months after a devastating tornado. Twenty-eight subjects had been involved in…

Crisis intervention and post-disaster practitioners have recommended nontraditional services such as action oriented strategies and the building of new social support networks. Guidelines for establishing and operating such groups are sparse and not organized into a comprehensive approach. A literature search did identify several rationales to…

Post-tornado support groups were organized by the Greene County, North Carolina disaster coordinators and the Pitt County outreach workers from the Community Mental Health Center sponsored tornado follow-up project. The most significant intervention used was the emphasis on creating a climate of group support by establishing a forum for…

This paper reports the effects of Hurricane Hugo on mental health workers and indigenous community members. The response and perceptions of mental health staff from the South Carolina Department of Mental Health (Go Teams) from areas unaffected by the hurricane were compared and contrasted with those of a subsequent Hugo Outreach Support Team…

This paper and accompanying workshop address the changing and expanding role of school psychologists resulting from disasters and increasing violence in schools and communities. The objectives of this workshop were: to encourage school psychologists to expand their roles to include crisis intervention as an essential part of their service…