Family Assistance Centers Role Sept 11

¶ … Stress Management centers (CISM: Everly & Mitchell, 1999) are integrated and comprehensive crisis intervention approaches to catastrophic critical events. CISM approaches consist of a continuum of services from pre-crisis preparedness to post-crisis-intervention procedures that can deal with the both the physical and psychological consequences of critical incidents. The care services during catastrophic events often include individual, group, and family interventions.

The use of the traditional model of a Family Assistance Center (FAC) is an example of macro-level CISM service planning and delivery service center. FACs as used during the 911 catastrophe assisted families in times of the crisis. A FAC is a secure facility which was set up at a centralized location with the function of supplying information about missing persons who were possible victims of the disaster. During the 911 crisis FAC's functioned as gathering points where information was exchanged in order to either facilitate the body identification process of deceased victims of the disaster or the bring together family members or the next of kin of a victim or missing person. FACs also served as a central location for the collection of DNA samples to assist with the identification of deceased victims as well as a gathering place offering emotional, psychological, and spiritual support for concerned relatives of missing persons awaiting information about their missing family members. Following the disaster additional supportive services were provided by FACs including psychological and emotional counseling, housing information/referral, legal assistance, and insurance information to families of victims of the catastrophe.

There are many lessons to be learned from the terrorist attacks of 9-11. Donahue & Robert (2006) report that one principle that should be given emphasis in the future is the creation and practice of more comprehensive continuity recovery planning. The 9-11 disaster demonstrated how unorganized even a large metropolitan area can be in coping with a sudden disaster. Much of the chaos and loss of life and property could be averted with better preparedness. Local businesses and community agencies who may suddenly find themselves without buildings and equipment and may have a number of missing employees as the result of a disaster may need to expand their disaster recovery plans to include the movement of people, a rapid method to acquire equipment, and a plan to network connectivity between people. These organizations should focus on the need to guarantee that recovery procedures are well documented, employees are trained in them, and the procedures are secured so that they may be utilized effectively when necessary.

Another lesson to be learned is the need to be able to ensure the ability of people to communicate with both internal and external agencies in the face of a disaster (Donahue & Robert, 2006; Williams, 2008). What is meant here is that there should be a communication plan for people and organizations to be able to relay information both within organizations and families as well as to the government and the general public. When there is a national or local emergency the demand for information skyrockets at both the general and individual level. Local governments, businesses, neighborhood communities, and individuals need to have a plan of action to communicate with each other regarding the reporting of events and actions procedures to deal with them (Williams, 2008).