Community Relations during Natural Disasters: Ask Not What Your Country Can Do For You

The recent natural disasters that have affected our globe cannot be ignored. Almost immediately after an earthquake near Japan triggered a Tsunami, a chain of new disasters followed, including an outbreak of deadly tornadoes across the South as well as the flooding of the Mississippi River.

As soon as these disasters occurred, companies and organizations who were equipped to do so, sprang to the aide of those in need. For instance, American Behavioral a Birmingham-based behavioral health care organization serving clients nationwide, began receiving calls from their client companies. They put a plan into action to deal with what they knew was going to be the beginning of a severe emotional reaction that would follow those who were affected by the storm devastation.

In the days after the storm, American Behavioral sent out fliers and resource materials to all of their Human Resource contacts with information about dealing with the emotional impact tornadoes may have on their employees and family members, how to recognize the signs and symptoms of those suffering with a severe reaction, and ways that supervisors can help their employees to cope.

They also began sending on-site counselors to conduct group critical incident group debriefings and individual sessions with employees to the affected work areas to client companies affected by the storm, which ranged from banks, retail stores, fire and police departments, manufacturing plants, nursing home facilities, to hospital and other healthcare facilities.

American Behavioral has offered to provide expert advice to local and national publications through media alerts and pitches, establishing the organization as a dependable and credible go-to source on this topic. By providing tips and guidance on the human resource and financial toll on companies, as well as the emotional and financial toll on employees, American Behavioral is able to help both citizen victims as well as corporate victims of these disasters. Through this, American Behavioral is also able to introduce those company owners and employees who do not have behavioral health benefits, to a service that can help them be more prepared in the future.

This is an example of community relations between client and provider at its finest.