San Antonio Mental Health Disaster Consortium: Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, a personal perspective.
OBJECTIVE
This is the personal perspective of the author's experience during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. As a member of a professional mental health volunteer organization, this chronicles 3 months' experience in the local shelters.


OBJECTIVE
Difficulties with organizational support and structure hampered the effectiveness and functioning of this volunteer organization in the shelters. To identify lessons learned from this experience.


CONCLUSIONS
It is essential to identify where each mental health volunteer group fits into the organizational structure and what the role of each is. Volunteers need to be scheduled and relieved at regular intervals to rest so as to prevent stress reactions.
Marshall
Margaret Cole
MC
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio School of Nursing, USA. marshall@uthscsa.edu
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004190:Disasters; D005181:Faculty, Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011638:Public Housing; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology; D012066:Relief Work / Q000458:organization & administration; D012944:Social Support; D013781:Texas; D019037:Urban Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D014837:Voluntary Health Agencies / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014838:Volunteers / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology