Role of the Counselor in Crisis Response

Role of the Counselor in Crisis Response

Part 1: Interview

Contact a professional individual to interview, in person or on the telephone, who knows of an existing crisis response plan. Identify the person you interview and their specific job or role, such as crisis counselor or a member of the Red Cross or Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), or therapists who work with victims of PTSD or are involved in CISD, and arrange an interview. Once you arrange a personal interview, develop a set of open-ended questions that will allow you to gain a clear and complete picture of the plan as it currently exists. (See the sample interview questions provided within the assignment.)

Ask your interviewee to give you a specific example of an actual crisis and the details of the various roles that are involved in the plan that is utilized, including any mental health professional. Examine what you are told by the interviewee, and compare it to the identified elements recommended for response plans in the Mental Health All-Hazards Disaster Planning Guidance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS, 2003), provided in the Resources.

Part 2: Description and Analysis

Describe and analyze a counselor’s role and responsibilities in a crisis response. Summarize the responsibilities of the counselor within the mental health component of the crisis response system in order to identify the type of necessary training for the role of the counselor.

To successfully complete this project, you will be expected to do the following:

1. Compare and contrast the elements of a real-world example of an emergency management plan, obtained through your personal interview of a professional in the field, to the elements identified in the course studies, particularly the Mental Health All-Hazards Disaster Planning Guidance (USDHHS, 2003), provided in the Resources.
2. Summarize the responsibilities of the counselor, including the professional role, functions, and relationships as a member of a crisis response plan during a local, regional, or national crisis, disaster, or other trauma-causing event (CACREP, 2016).
3. Describe in detail the specific skills and knowledge required by a counselor in order to function effectively as a member of an interdisciplinary emergency management response team.
4. Describe the types of training a counselor requires to develop the required skills and knowledge relevant to emergency management.
5. Exhibit proficiency in effective, credible academic writing and critical thinking skills.

Note: A template for your APA formatted paper is included in the assignment Resources. Please use the template to present the assignment criteria in an organized way. The headings guide you to the criteria, and the details that are included describe what is necessary to complete the assignment to a Distinguished degree.

To achieve a successful project experience and outcome, you are expected to meet the following requirements.

• Content: Prepare a comprehensive paper that includes all sections described above.
• Components: The paper must include a title page, abstract, and reference list.
• Written communication: Develop accurate written communication and thoughts that convey the overall goals of the project and do not detract from the overall message.
• APA formatting: Resources and citations are formatted according to APA (6th Edition) style and formatting.
• Number of pages: The body of the paper should fall within 10–12 pages, excluding title page and reference list.
• Number of resources: Minimum of 5 current resources, published within the last 12 years.
• Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12-point.

Abstract

There is no indent on an abstract. An abstract is a paragraph that summarizes the most important parts of the entire paper. It briefly allows your reader to quickly obtain an overview of your writing. It is an accurate reflection of the purpose and content of the text written in clear and concise language within the limit of 150 to 250 words.

Role of the Counselor in Emergency Management Teams

Include the title of your paper centered at the top of the page, not bolded; it is not considered a heading. This first section is your paper’s introduction. Note that it does not have a heading (Introduction); its position at the beginning of the body of the paper implies that it is the introduction. In the body of your paper, indent the first line of each paragraph.

As always, use double spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font, and 1.0 margins all around the page layout. Please cite your textbook and at least 4 articles throughout the paper. For the purposes of this assignment, simply replace this text with a brief paragraph in your own words introducing the topic and informing the reader of the organization of the paper.

Interview with an Emergency Professional

In this section of the paper, provide a summary of the interview you conducted with a professional in your community who has knowledge of an emergency plan. Please do not provide a transcript, but rather a descriptive narrative. The individual will give you a specific example of an actual crisis and the details of the various roles that are involved in the plan, including mental health professionals.

Comparison with the Mental Health All-Hazards Planning Guidance

Examine what the interviewee tells you and compare it to the identified elements recommended for response plans in the Mental Health All-Hazards Disaster Planning Guidance, from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS, 2003), provided in the Assignment’s Resources. (See the Planning Guidance’s APPENDIX A: ELEMENTS OF AN ALL-HAZARDS STATE DISASTER MENTAL HEALTH PLAN). Support your discussion with additional professional literature published within the past 10 years.

Counselor Responsibilities in Emergency Management

In this section of the paper, summarize the responsibilities of the counselor, including the professional role, functions, and relationships as a member of an interdisciplinary emergency management response team during a local, regional, or national crisis, disaster, or other trauma-causing event.

Skills, Knowledge, and Training Required for Crisis Counselors

Describe in detail the specific skills and knowledge required by a counselor in order to function effectively as a member of an interdisciplinary emergency management response team. Support your discussion with examples and relevant information from the professional literature.

Describe the types of training a counselor requires to acquire the skills and knowledge relevant to emergency responding.

References

Cite your textbook in addition to at least 4 scholastic articles. The reference below provides an example citation for an article.

Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (year). Title of article. Title of Periodical, volume#(issue#), xx–xx.

*The Appendix starts on the next page where you will list the questions you used in your interview.

Appendix A

Interview Questions

1. List the questions you used in your interview.