Whether you are just starting your private practice or you are a seasoned professional, you and your office are not immune from fires, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, tsunamis, volcanoes and other natural disasters.  That’s why I’ve invited Julie Uhernik, RN, LPC to guest post today.

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A Guest Post by Julie Uhernik, RN, LPC

(If you want to guest post on this blog, check out the guidelines here.)

Natural Disasters

This year has seen an unprecedented number of natural disasters which have affected thousands of lives either through direct experience of disaster or through collective knowledge of and concern for the many affected. The response of counselors to assist disaster survivors has been tremendous. Many counselors have partnered with the Red Cross and other disaster relief organizations to bring mental health assistance to survivors, their families and fellow responders.

Professional organizations such as the American Counseling Association (ACA) have made Disaster and Trauma Response a primary area of focus, assisting counselors to obtain knowledge and information on best practices in this rapidly emerging field.  However, one important consideration that has not received quite that same amount of attention is a professional’s response to a disaster that directly impacts the counselor and their clients.  To put it simply . . .

• What will you do if your office is destroyed by a tornado or hurricane?
• Have you made provisions  for your practice or agency in Counselor Professional Preparedness Planning?
• Does your agency or practice have a plan in place should the unthinkable occur?
• What do you need to do to protect your clients, your family and your greatest counseling asset…yourself?!

Standards of Care

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention** recommends that we all  “Get a Kit, Make a Plan and Be Informed”.  The newly revised ACA Code of Ethics Standard C.2.h. (Counselor Incapacitation or Termination of Practice) requires a transfer plan to be in place to assure that clients have access to both counseling and their records during the period of time in which you are unable to provide counseling services. This standard would presumably include therapists whose offices / agencies were destroyed in a disaster.

It is recommended that your Professional Preparedness Plan include:

• A Disaster Risk Analysis. Consider what are the most likely disaster risks where you practice, i.e. tornado, wildfire, floods, etc.
• Written plans for pre-disaster, during the event and post-event.
• Counselor  basic knowledge of disaster mental health response, including topics such as Psychological First Aid, National Incident Response Management (NIRM) and Basic Incident Command (ICS) response.
• Personal Disaster Response planning for you and your family, particularly if you are asked/called to be a Disaster Mental Health responder.

There are many important things to ponder before a disaster occurs.  As a counselor, are you ready?

**See PDF file Adapting Standards of Care under Extreme Emergencies

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Julie Uhernik, RN, LPC offices in Parker, Colorado.  She specializes in disaster mental health and trauma and provides consulting services related to emergency planning and response. If you would like to contact Julie, you may reach her at http://www.JulieUhernik.com.