Human Services Response Training Slated for March 25-27 in Atlanta, Georgia

This training is to prepare forward-thinking organizations to better support those affected by tragedy. This course will provide participants the skills necessary to support those who have been injured and the families of those killed in tragic situations in the acute phase of a crisis.

Atlanta, GA (Vocus) February 4, 2009

The Family Assistance Foundation and Aviem International announce a special Human Services Response™ (HSR) Training program to be held in Atlanta, GA, March 25-27, 2009. The course, which is based on more than 20 years of research on survivors and their needs was pioneered by Carolyn Coarsey, Ph.D. The course is designed for employee volunteers who can work with primary survivors, employees and their families following a traumatic accident or disaster. This course will provide participants the skills necessary to support those who have been injured and the families of those killed in tragic situations in the acute phase of a crisis. The course is comprehensive and will also feature modules on logistical support and planning elements necessary for an effective response, along with specific instruction on how responders should handle interaction with journalists and the media.

The concept of employee volunteers, often called Care Teams, using the HSR models was born in the airline industry. However, today many forward-thinking organizations are establishing internal teams to go beyond the limited services provided by Employee Assistance Programs, which are often outsourced and not focused on the needs of those affected by traumatic events. By providing these services internally, companies have the ability to ensure their customers, employees; families and anyone who may be affected by an accident or disaster are properly cared for during the immediate aftermath of such events.

This course is designed for employees or others who volunteer to reach out to and work with survivors following an accident or tragedy. It is also recommended for front-line personnel and other employees working in positions where they interact with the public, or anyone interested in developing an internal team to improve their organization’s response capabilities. Some of the areas covered during the session include:

•     Survivor & family needs
•     Human Services Response™ and second assaults, traumatic stress: How it affects survivors
•     Why families travel to the accident site and need personal belongings
•     Why factual and direct communication is so important
•     Communicating with few words
•     Survivor stories and exercises in silence
•     Meeting survivors for the first time
•     Best practices, based on survivor feedback
•     Role-plays for meeting families for the first time
•     Employee stress
•     Logistical support and advance planning elements for a successful response
•     How to handle media contact and interaction with confidence
•     Media do’s and don’ts for a variety of situations

This open-enrollment session allows organizations and individuals to become proficient in current and emerging Human Services Response™ skills based on the research and interviews with survivors conducted by Dr. Coarsey. In addition to learning about the logistical elements required to provide for an effective response, participants will receive important training on how to handle the media’s presence during a crisis.

Registration Information
Registration is available at the Family Assistance Foundation website

Training Location
Courtyard Atlanta Airport North
3399 International Boulevard
Hapeville, Georgia 30354 USA

About the Family Assistance Foundation, Inc.
The Family Assistance Foundation, Inc., is an independent non-profit corporation founded in 2000 for the purpose of empowering people following tragedy. The Foundation takes a unique approach to helping organizations successfully meet survivor needs and enables organizations worldwide to traverse corporate borders when disaster strikes, working together to assist those in need.

The Foundation’s programs provide member organizations, as well as survivors, the opportunity to share lessons learned and information about how to continually improve response efforts and business practices.

About Aviem International, Inc.
Aviem International, Inc. is a global leader in providing emergency planning and consulting services to organizations that want to develop world-class disaster response programs. Aviem provides critical disaster support services including emergency call centers, on-site disaster management, logistical support, and family assistance. For more information visit the Aviem International website.

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