PHASE IV: RECOVERY

1
PHASE IV RECOVERY

• Marleen Wong, Ph.D.
• Director of Crisis Counseling and Intervention
  Services
• Los Angeles Unified School District

2
Overview of The Recovery Phase

• Act to re-establish a sense of emotional safety
  protect students and staff from exposure to
  further trauma
• Return the school to calm, familiar routine
• Stabilize student reactions
• Prepare materials that provide information and
  support to teachers and parents

3
Steps Schools Can Take to Prepare for Recovery
Efforts

• Select and train an interdisciplinary team of
  school health and mental health professionals in
  3 tiers of recovery interventions
• Develop community partnerships and include
  community partners in training
• Include recovery issues in overall ERCM plans

4
Short-term Recovery Issues

• Triage and assess immediate recovery needs of
  students and staff
• Provide accurate information about the incident
  and psychoeducation about normal reactions to a
  traumatic event
• Make individual and group crisis counseling
  available during the first week after a crisis
  event
• Prepare for 3 levels of interventions
• Be aware of secondary adversities

5
Institute of Medicine Report - Preparing for the
Psychological Consequences of Terrorism

• Range of emotional, behavioral, and cognitive
  effects
• e.g., Insomnia,
• Sense of
• Vulnerability
• e.g., Change in
• Travel Patterns, Smoking,
• e.g., PTSD, Alcohol Major
  Depression, Consumption
• Anxiety Disorders

6
Long-term Recovery Issues

• Individual trauma histories that complicate the
  recovery process
• Milestone events and anniversary dates
• Secondary adversities may derail recovery
• Legal action can resurrect traumatic reactions
• Cognitive behavioral interventions are effective
  in treating trauma and depression in school
• Students may need referrals to community agencies
  for more in-depth treatment

7
Key Summary Points
The objective of crisis recovery is to restore
the learning environment.

• Act to re-establish a sense of emotional safety
• Return the school to calm, familiar routine
• Assist students with coping and understanding of
  reactions to danger and traumatic stress
• Support the emotional stabilization of teachers
  and parents
• Be aware of the need for self care