April 12, 2000 Virtual Forum Presentation

EIIP Observes National Volunteer Week April 9 - 15

The American Red Cross
Disaster Mental Health Role
in Aviation Disasters and Beyond

with

Jane Morgan
Manager, External Relations & Direct Services
Disaster Services, American Red Cross

SUMMARY

EIIP Virtual Forum Presentation
Wednesday - April 12, 2000 - 12:00 Noon EDT

The American Red Cross Disaster Mental Health Role in
Aviation Disasters and Beyond

Jane Morgan
American Red Cross (ARC)

Amy Sebring
Moderator - EIIP Technical Projects Coordinator

To observe National Volunteer Week, the EIIP Virtual Forum featured Jane Morgan of the American Red Cross to discuss the "The ARC Disaster Mental Health Role in Aviation Disasters and Beyond." Jane has worked for the Red Cross for twenty years and provided leadership in the development and implementation of the ARC Disaster Mental Health Services (DMHS) program.

Catastrophic disasters over the last 10 years or so required large numbers of disaster workers for extended periods of time to meet the disaster related needs of hundreds of thousands of people across the country. As result, a national task force of psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and nurses was formed to determine if an internal disaster mental health program was needed. The ARC also surveyed clients and workers to determine effectiveness of services and how workers were impacted by these catastrophic disasters.

After much work, an ARC plan is in place to provide supportive services for disaster workers. Moreover, 2,500 licensed mental health professionals are now trained and available to go on assignment away from their own communities. An additional 7,000 have completed ARC DMHS training and provide DMHS in their own jurisdictions.

JANE MORGAN

Manager, External Relations & Direct Services
Disaster Services, American Red Cross

Jane Morgan is a registered nurse and a graduate of the Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University. She began her career with the American Red Cross in 1980 with the Southeast Louisiana Chapter in New Orleans. She then became the Chief of Disaster Health Services in the Midwestern Operations Headquarters from 1988-1992. During this period she served on the Disaster Mental Health Services Task Force which developed the beginning structure, scope and limitations and training for the Red Cross Disaster Mental Health Services (DMHS) program. This led to her becoming the first Associate for Disaster Mental Health Services in August 1992. As such, she has been the driving force behind the recognition of the Red Cross as a leader in this field. Since 1996 she has served as the lead for the development of the Red Cross response plan for aviation disasters. She has been in her current position since June, 1999.

In 1998, Jane was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the University of South Dakota in recognition for her leadership in the disaster mental health field. She is a two time winner of the Tiffany Award for Employee Excellence and in January 2000 she received the Florence Nightingale Medal from the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. This is only the 37th time this Medal has been awarded within the United States.

Jane has served on more than 25 national disaster assignments in both disaster health services and administration. She has worked closely with the National Transportation Safety Board in the development of a coordinated response plan for those affected by aviation disasters and most recently, worked on site at the EgyptAir and Alaska Airlines disasters.

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