ORGANIZING MENTAL-HEALTH-SERVICES FOLLOWING A DISASTER - A COMMUNITY SYSTEMS PERSPECTIVE

This article will present a series of strategies that evolved out of t he author's experience in organizing mental health services following California's 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake. The strategies emphasize pro viding services in the community to in fact groups of survivors at the ir residences, places of business, or other available sites. Strategie s for gaining access to groups, how to address the needs of specific p opulations, and dealing with the stress of mental health professionals are discussed