Social Workers Being Effective in Disaster Settings.

Area of Science:

• Social Work
• Disaster Response
• Mental Health

Background:

• Social workers' contributions during disasters are often unrecognized.
• They manage increased client loads and support colleagues by filling service gaps.
• Sharing best practices enhances social worker resilience and client care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify best practices for social workers during disaster events.
• To inform social work education and training for disaster preparedness.
• To highlight the importance of collaboration and self-care.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving 8 US Department of Veterans Affairs social workers and leaders.
• Data collected from participants in regions affected by 2017-2018 hurricanes.
• Analysis focused on identifying key strategies and challenges.

Main Results:

• Key best practices identified: adapting to new roles, fostering collaboration and organizational support, and prioritizing self-care.
• Social workers demonstrated resilience by managing diverse responsibilities.
• Effective teamwork and self-care were crucial for client support.

Conclusions:

• Social work education should integrate disaster-specific knowledge and skills.
• Collaboration and self-care are essential for social workers' effectiveness in disaster settings.
• Disseminating best practices can improve disaster response across helping professions.