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Dec. 3 - 11, 2005
Baton Rouge & New Orleans, Louisiana
This week as we continue our Trauma Outreach Program in Baton Rouge and New Orleans, two of our team members have traveled the considerable distances from Maui, Hawaii and Vancouver Is., British Columbia to be a part of this effort.
The TOP effort has been blessed with wonderful volunteers who are ready and willing to put in long hours each day.
Our current focus shifted more to New Orleans as Catholic Charities staff continued to make the transition back from Baton Rouge. Our work continued to be providing small group education, individual sessions and preparation for two large group presentations at the week’s end.
One team member characterized a situation we have heard over and over from those we worked with as, “I’m not who I was before”. With the loss of homes, possessions, job, workplaces, and being relocated into often crowded, strange environments, people have lost many of the usual ways that they sense and maintain their self-identity. Hence, “I’m not who I was”.
One of the facilities we focused on in providing individual sessions is a residential treatment facility for adolescents. This facility found itself trying to hold together with a staff of eighty instead of its pre-Katrina 300 staff.
Our team continues to be moved by the magnitude of loss, the uncertain futures and the spirit of those with whom we work. They seem genuinely open and appreciative of an opportunity to give some expression to their experiences and to receive tools to work with the symptoms they experience.
At the end of our week we had two large group education presentations. The first involved a grant project called LA Spirit. Catholic Charities has been chosen to run this project that comes out of Homeland Security and FEMA. Twelve teams of ten to twelve staff made up of counseling professionals and others from a variety of backgrounds will be going door-to-door and walking the streets, finding those who need information, assessment and referral for additional services. The TOP team presented an introduction to its Trauma First Aide training providing these teams with education and techniques to assist them in this vital field-work.
A troubling report highlights the importance of trauma intervention. The National Suicide Hotline that typically receives 3000 calls per month has seen that number increase to 6000 per month post Katrina. Most of this increase is attributed to the Gulf States.
Our week ended with team members going to a high school in New Orleans that is bringing it’s staff together to the begin the task of reestablishing the school. The team spent two and a half hours educating the staff on the impact of trauma. The response was very positive and has led to continued conversations about more input from the Trauma Outreach Program.
It is gratifying to be able to offer to people information and relief that has such relevancy and immediacy to their needs.
TOP Team - Week 5
Kristin Sagert, Team Leader, New Mexico
Patti Lentz, New Mexico
Holly Burnes, Massachusetts
Su Russel, Victoria, Canada
Jeanne Du Rivage, Hawaii
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katrina/rita
