As you learned last week, crises that share the
“individual, couple, and family” classification nevertheless can
differ dramatically in terms of their breadth and the intervention strategies
most often used to address them. The same is true of systemic crises.
“Systemic crises” comprise the second broad category into which
certain types of crisis situations can be classified.
The unifying factor between the types of situations in this category is implied
by its title—systemiccrises affect large systems. This
might be a school, a workplace, a particular community, or an entire city,
state, country, or region. When a systemic crisis occurs, not just one person
or family is affected. Dozens, hundreds, thousands, or even millions of
individuals, couples, and families might feel the impact. The breadth of impact
of a systemic crisis, then, is broader than in an individual, couple, and/or
family crisis situation, yet can still vary somewhat between different types
within the category as a whole. A public health disaster, such as a worldwide
flu outbreak, for instance, would have a larger and more complex breadth of
impact than would a natural disaster, such as a tornado, that affects a single
community.
Systemic crisis interventions require a combination of strategies to be
effective. Such crises have the potential to affect every aspect of life,
meaning response efforts must include everything from the immediate provision
of basic needs such as potable water, food, shelter, medication, and the
physical safety of those affected, to intensive counseling for victims
suffering from psychological distress, to long-term plans for rebuilding or
ongoing recovery. As a result, intervention strategies for all systemic crises
must be multifaceted, multipronged, and developed cooperatively between
and among multiple organizations and/or agencies. At the same time, the
specific strategies implemented may vary across situations. Every crisis is
unique and thus requires a customized response depending on the needs of those affected.
To prepare for this assignment:
·
Consider the types of systemic crises presented
this week: school-based; crisis/hostage situations; natural disasters (e.g.,
hurricanes, tornadoes, floods); human-made disasters (e.g., terrorism, war,
fires); and public health disasters (e.g., SARS, Legionnaire’s outbreak, flu
pandemic). Select two specific systemic crisis situations. Each must represent
a different type as listed above. Both should be different from the type of
crisis you analyzed in this week’s Discussion.
·
Review Chapters 13 and 17 of your course
text, Crisis Intervention Strategies, paying particular attention
to the unique and shared characteristics of the two systemic crisis situations
you selected, especially their breadth of impact. Also focus on the crisis
intervention strategies utilized for both types of crises and the ways in which
they vary and are similar to one another.
·
Review any additional Learning Resources relevant
to your selections (i.e., articles or video programs) that might assist you in
understanding the similarities and differences between the two systemic crises
you selected and the intervention strategies utilized for each.
The assignment (2–3
pages):
·
Briefly describe the two specific systemic crises
you have selected.
·
Explain how the two crises are similar and how they
are different, including their breadth of impact.
·
Explain what insights you have or conclusions you
can draw based on the comparison.
·
Describe at least two crisis intervention
strategies that could be used in each crisis and explain how and why they might
be used.
·
Describe the similarities and differences between
these two sets of intervention strategies, and explain any insights you have or
conclusions you can draw based on this comparison.
