	Disaster Recovery Case Management Services

Introduction

Administration and Management

Service Delivery Administration Standards

Service Standards

DRCM 3: Assessment

Individuals and families participate in a comprehensive, individualized, strengths-based, culturally-responsive assessment of disaster recovery related needs.

Note: Refer to the Assessment Matrix for additional assessment criteria. The elements of the matrix can be tailored according to the needs of specific individuals or service design. In disaster recovery case management, special attention is given to assessing the financial impact of the disaster on an individual or family and disaster-related resources already accessed and needed.

DRCM 3.01

The information gathered for assessments is comprehensive, directed at concerns identified in the initial screening, and limited to material that is pertinent for meeting service requests and objectives.

Interpretation: There may be delays in client identification of needs and the ability to discern disaster specific impacts on life circumstances.

DRCM 3.02

Assessments are conducted in person at a mutually agreed upon location and include assessment of natural supports and helping networks.

Interpretation: Conditions may require beginning an assessment by telephone and continuing in person at a location that takes into account client and worker safety, client confidentiality, and client accessibility. In-home visits are optimal for completing a comprehensive assessment.

DRCM 3.03

Personnel who conduct assessments are qualified by training, skill, and experience, can recognize individuals and families with special needs and vulnerabilities, and are knowledgeable about available supplemental resources.

DRCM 3.04

The organization promptly provides or advocates for referrals and coordinates arrangements for specialized assessments, as needed.

Research Note: Though limited, determination of outcomes for victims of disasters relative to types of services received is now receiving attention in professional literature. Such resources sometimes provide a comprehensive list of the many services that can be offered and useful program performance measurement indicators.

DRCM 3.05

Assessments are conducted in a culturally responsive manner to identify resources that can increase service participation and support the achievement of agreed upon goals.

Interpretation: Culturally responsive assessments can include attention to geographic location, language of choice, and the person’s religious, racial, ethnic, and cultural background. Other important factors that contribute to a responsive assessment include attention to age, sexual orientation, differences in abilities, and developmental level.

DRCM 3.06

Assessments are completed within timeframes established by the organization.

Interpretation: Organizations should establish timeframes that are sensitive to the needs of individuals and families, ongoing recovery efforts and deadlines, and support the timely development of a recovery plan.

DRCM 3.07

Engagement and assessment are characterized by:

sensitivity to the willingness of the person or family to be engaged;
sensitivity to differences in presentation of needs over the phases of recovery and changes in availability of resources;
a non-threatening manner;
respect for the person, his/her autonomy, culture, and confidentiality; and
flexibility.

QUICK JUMP TO


	PURPOSE: Individuals and families who receive Disaster Recovery Case Management Services access and use resources and support that build on their strengths and meet their service needs.

RELATED FILES


	CASE A general term used to designate clients (including individuals, families, and groups) served by an organization for purposes of monitoring the provision of services. A foster care case is generally based on the placement of an individual child, although casework for the child may include services to the child's family. A child protective services case is based on an entire family household if a family assessment model is used; otherwise a case is defined as a child.


	SERVICE One or more organization-operated programs or activities that have a common general objective and deploy the organization's material and human resources in a planned and systematic manner. An organization that publicly promotes or identifies itself in writing as offering a service, is licensed to deliver a service, assigns personnel and/or space to a service, or allocates financial resources to a service is considered to offer that service.


	ASSESSMENT An evaluation, which utilizes professional expertise and skills in the collection and analysis of data to understand and describe the nature of service needs of an individual, family, or group. Assessment, as in needs assessment, is also used to determine priorities of program planning and service development for the organization as a whole. See also DIAGNOSIS.


	CRITERIA Systematically developed, objective, and quantifiable statements used to assess the appropriateness of specific decisions, services, and outcomes.


	FAMILY Two or more people who consider themselves family and who assume obligations, functions, and responsibilities generally essential to healthy family life. Child care and child socialization, income support, long-term care, and other caregiving are among the functions of family life. The definition of "family" will rest with an individual's indication of who plays a family member role, including current or former foster family, adoptive family, extended family members, fictive kin, or significant others. Organizations that believe family is the central constellation in a child's life, and that family attachments are of primary importance for human development, will strive to work with professional staff to develop a common understanding of "family."


	OBJECTIVE A sub-goal stated in operational terms, i.e., a statement that makes clear what expected results are to be measured or assessed.


	CONFIDENTIALITY An ethical and practice principle that requires the protection of information shared within a professional-client relationship. An organization that upholds confidentiality prohibits personnel from disclosing information about persons served without their written consent.


	PERSONNEL The body of employees and/or volunteers that carries out the organization's tasks under the organization's administration and/or supervision. This definition does not include foster parents who are specifically referenced in relevant standards


	TRAINING Instruction so as to make fit, qualified, or proficient in a skill or body of knowledge.


	SPECIAL NEEDS A designation used in reference to conditions or characteristics of a person that reflect a need for special care, services, or treatment. When the term is used in the context of adoption services, special needs refers to conditions that make a child harder to place for adoption. This includes children who are members of sibling groups, older children, children with disabilities, children of certain racial /ethnic backgrounds, etc. When the term is used in the context of foster care it refers to the need for a higher degree of specialized case services and attention due to mental and physical disabilities. When the term is used in the context of out-of-school time services, a child or youth may have special physical, behavioral, medical, emotional, or cognitive needs that should be addressed or accommodated. The term is also used in other contexts. See also DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.


	MANAGEMENT See ADMINISTRATION


	CLIENT See service recipient.


	REFERRALS Resource suggestions provided to consumers to address problems or needs that are beyond the scope of the organization's mission.


	PROGRAM A system of services offered by an organization. For example, an organization providing a mental health service may offer several mental health programs to different populations, e.g., a mental health program for adolescent teens. The word "program" can be used interchangeably with the word "service" or to describe specific programs.


	PERFORMANCE A measure of how well an organizational system provides services to consumers. Performance is often based on key indicators, such as rates of service, cost per consumer, degree of satisfaction with services, and extent of consumer access to services.


	INDICATOR A described activity, event, outcome, or benchmark used for measurement in monitoring the quality and outcome(s) of service.


	CULTURE The customs, habits, values, skills, technology, beliefs, and religious, social, and political behaviors of a group of people in a specific period of time.