Licensed mental health professionals are needed to assist with the behavioral health response to assist approximately 2000 guests from the Texas coast in the Hurricane Harvey shelter at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.
If you are able to serve, please read the following carefully.
There is a general medical unit set up that includes primary care and higher levels of care and specialties, including behavioral health. The behavioral health operation has several components to provide a continuum of care for the guests at the shelter:
*a psychiatric triage unit that includes a Psych ER (Dr. Frank Webster and Dr. Art Mirzatuny are very ably leading that, recruiting only psychiatrists who are experienced in emergency psychiatry).
*Transicare provides transport to voluntary inpatient hospitalization if needed, and transportation to Methadone services if needed.
*a pharmacy (Wal-Mart has that set up).
*a mental health outpatient clinic (North Texas Behavioral Health Authority is in charge of that, led by Jennifer Torres and Jessica Martinez from Metrocare).
*Trauma-trained mental health professionals, certified Psychological First Aid, Mental Health First Aid and Peer Recovery Specialists volunteer to mingle with the shelter guests to see how they are doing, use de-escalation techniques if they encounter a guest in distress or crisis, and connect them with the higher levels of professional care on site. Dave Hogan with the City of Dallas Crisis Intervention Team, Jennifer Torres and Jessica Martinez from Metrocare are supervising those volunteers. Libby Kay from UT Southwestern is helping too. Volunteers are asked to serve in the dormitory area as a 'listening ear' for the disaster survivors. These volunteers are not expected to provide therapy or formal counseling sessions.
*Substance use disorder peer services.
*There is also a need for Trauma-trained and EMDR certified mental health professionals to help especially in the overnight hours for guests exhibiting signs of trauma.
To protect the security of our guests, there is a strict scheduling credentialing process for all volunteers.
Please send a list of
exactly the days and times over the next three weeks
that you are committed to serve at the shelter. You will most likely be put on the schedule for
all
the dates and times that you request, and will be sent a confirmation with additional information on where to pick up your entry badge.
If you have any questions, please send an e-mail to me at [email protected] or call me at
(214) 404-3976
(cell) or
(214) 871-2420, Ext. 114
.
Sincerely,
Janie Metzinger
Public Policy Director
Mental Health America of Greater Dallas
Office Telephone:
(214) 871-2420, Ext. 114
Cell or Text:
(214) 404-3976
