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 titleâsystemiccrises 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 (2â3 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.