Pine Mountain Gets Red Cross Mental Health Team

Pine Mountain Gets Red Cross Mental Health Team

Early this year psychologist Shelia Clark, director of California Family Counseling Network, Inc., and ecopsychologist Sarah Edwards, board member of PMC’s Let’s Live Local, joined efforts to recruit and initiate the formation of a Red Cross Mental Health Emergency Response Team here in PMC.
While there has been a Red Cross Disaster Action Team (DAT) locally to shelter and feed residents in the face of a significant disaster, as Dr. Edwards explains “the emotional trauma of disaster can be significant and mental health assistance from the Red Cross could be an hour or more away.”

At the time there were no Red Cross mental health response teams in Kern County. They have to rely on County Mental Health services to provide any needed assistance. So our newly form PMC team, having completed Red Cross mental health and disaster training is now official and became the first such team in the county.

What is a Disaster Mental Health Team?

In 1989, the American Red Cross officially recognized a need for an organized plan for the mental health care of disaster survivors. Over the next two decades, the role of the Disaster Mental Health Worker (DMHW) has evolved to assist all the people with whom he/she is in contact during a disaster call. These licensed mental health professionals not only provide emergency and preventive mental health services to people affected by the disaster, but also service other Red Cross and first-responder workers assigned to a disaster relief operation.

Most disaster victims are normal, well-functioning people who are struggling with the disruption and loss caused by the disaster. They usually do not see themselves as needing mental health services and are unlikely to request them. The Red Cross DMHW goes to the survivors, not waiting for them to come to traditional counseling offices. Community outreach strategies are used and much psychological support can occur informally over a cup of coffee. The DMHW always actively fits interventions to the disaster-affected community.

Workers in all phases of disaster relief, whether law enforcement, local government, emergency response, or survivor support, experience considerable demands to meet the needs of the survivors and the community. Relief workers may witness human tragedy, fatalities, and serious physical injuries. Over long hours, even the most experienced worker may show the physical and psychological effects of work overload and exposure to human suffering. The DMHW can provide assistance to help these invaluable workers continue their disaster relief work.

To all these people, the DMHW provides education about stressors and their effects, methods of coping, and advocacy, crisis interventions, and referral services to resources to meet mental health related problems, as well as other interventions for which they receive specific training.

Specific training is required to become a certified Red Cross DMHW:

1) Introduction to Disaster Services (which can be fulfilled on-line)

2) Mass Care, Shelter Operations, and Shelter Simulation (which will be held at Kern County Red Cross office)

3) Fundamentals of Disaster Mental Health (which will be scheduled as needed).

Team members consists of four members so there should always be someone available to respond to a request placed through the Red Cross . Team members include:

Shelia Clark, Ph.D., is dual-licensed as Clinical Psychologist and Marriage & Family Therapist. She is founding director of California Family Counseling Network, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit which provides mental health education. Her co-director, Dr. Richard North, is the supervisor of Santa Clarita Red Cross Disaster Mental Health, and enlisted Shelia to form a team for Kern County. Together, Shelia and Sarah have begun the process of enrolling volunteers and providing CEU training for mental health professionals all over Kern County.

Sarah Edwards, PhD, is a licensed clinical social worker and ecopsychologist. She’s lives here in PMC for 10 years and serves on the Board of Directors of Let’s Live Local, a non-profit organization working to strengthen our local economy and increase local sustainability. In her private practice she specializes in helping individuals, couples or families recover from trauma, grief and loss.

Laurel Quinn, MFT, is a special type ofcounselor who helps couples have more intimacy intheirlife. She has lived and worked in PMC for 15 years.

Ruth Handy, a licensed clinical social worker, is currentlyemployed in forensic social work.She has over 30 years of experience in the profession, including22 years with child protective services in Los Angeles County.Rev. Handyfounded the Jizo Peace Center, located in Pine Mountain Club,as a non-profit compassionate outreach organization in 2005. She leads meditation sessions at the Center.Ruth is enthusiastic abouttheformation of theKern County Mental Health Team, and islooking forward toassisting withthe group's activities.

Kern County Chapter of American Red Cross Disaster Mental Health Team

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