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Disaster survivors to receive one standard of care

Disaster survivors to receive one standard of care
Faith-based & relief groups settle on principles

September 15, 2009 -- More than 20 faith-based organizations in the
United States for the first time have set minimum standards of care in a
10-point document that defines how to minister emotionally and
spiritually to people in times of disaster.

â??It is a true realization of their faith when Catholics,
Scientologists, Protestants, Evangelicals, Buddhists and Jews can sit
down together and define the standards of spiritual care for the benefit
of disaster survivors,â?? said Diana Rothe-Smith, executive director  of
National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster. Forty-nine U.S.
organizations make up VOAD.

â??Rather than put aside their differing beliefs, they have mutually
embraced them, and this extraordinary document is the result,â?? said
Rothe-Smith.

Explicitly outlined in the set of standards are protections for
survivors, at what is often a vulnerable time. Without adequate care for
those who seek it, spiritual, emotional and psychological challenges can
last well beyond when homes or businesses are repaired.

The 10 points to the Spiritual Care Points of Consensus are:
-	Basic concepts of disaster spiritual care
-	Types of disaster spiritual care
-	Local community resources
-	Disaster emotional care and its relationship to disaster
spiritual care
-	Disaster spiritual care in response and recovery
-	Disaster emotional and spiritual care for the care giver
-	Planning, preparedness, training and mitigation as spiritual
care components
-	Disaster spiritual care in diversity
-	Disaster, trauma and vulnerability
-	Ethics and Standards of Care

"As significant as the adoption of these points of consensus is the
cooperation conversation that took place among these partners to form
them," said the Rev. Kevin Massey,  a current National VOAD board
member.  "We did not start with consensus; rather, it was created
through respectful conversation."

Working collaboratively, the members of National VOAD are the driving
force behind disaster recovery in the United States. National VOAD
facilitates cooperation among every major non-profit and faith-based
disaster response organization in the U.S. National VOAD agencies focus
on all stages of disaster -- preparedness, relief, response, recovery
and mitigation.  In 2008, these organizations provided more than $200
million dollars in direct financial assistance and more than 7 million
hours in volunteer labor.

For more information, contact Diana Rothe-Smith at 1-703-778-5088.

To learn more about National VOAD and the work of its member
organizations, or to review the Points of Consensus in its entirety,
visit www.nvoad.org.

Disaster survivors to receive one standard of care
Faith-based & relief groups settle on principles

September 15, 2009 -- More than 20 faith-based organizations in the
United States for the first time have set minimum standards of care in a
10-point document that defines how to minister emotionally and
spiritually to people in times of disaster.

â??It is a true realization of their faith when Catholics,
Scientologists, Protestants, Evangelicals, Buddhists and Jews can sit
down together and define the standards of spiritual care for the benefit
of disaster survivors,â?? said Diana Rothe-Smith, executive director  of
National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster. Forty-nine U.S.
organizations make up VOAD.

â??Rather than put aside their differing beliefs, they have mutually
embraced them, and this extraordinary document is the result,â?? said
Rothe-Smith.

Explicitly outlined in the set of standards are protections for
survivors, at what is often a vulnerable time. Without adequate care for
those who seek it, spiritual, emotional and psychological challenges can
last well beyond when homes or businesses are repaired.

The 10 points to the Spiritual Care Points of Consensus are:
-	Basic concepts of disaster spiritual care
-	Types of disaster spiritual care
-	Local community resources
-	Disaster emotional care and its relationship to disaster
spiritual care
-	Disaster spiritual care in response and recovery
-	Disaster emotional and spiritual care for the care giver
-	Planning, preparedness, training and mitigation as spiritual
care components
-	Disaster spiritual care in diversity
-	Disaster, trauma and vulnerability
-	Ethics and Standards of Care

"As significant as the adoption of these points of consensus is the
cooperation conversation that took place among these partners to form
them," said the Rev. Kevin Massey,  a current National VOAD board
member.  "We did not start with consensus; rather, it was created
through respectful conversation."

Working collaboratively, the members of National VOAD are the driving
force behind disaster recovery in the United States. National VOAD
facilitates cooperation among every major non-profit and faith-based
disaster response organization in the U.S. National VOAD agencies focus
on all stages of disaster -- preparedness, relief, response, recovery
and mitigation.  In 2008, these organizations provided more than $200
million dollars in direct financial assistance and more than 7 million
hours in volunteer labor.

For more information, contact Diana Rothe-Smith at 1-703-778-5088.

To learn more about National VOAD and the work of its member
organizations, or to review the Points of Consensus in its entirety,
visit www.nvoad.org.

Disaster survivors to receive one standard of care
Faith-based & relief groups settle on principles

September 15, 2009 -- More than 20 faith-based organizations in the
United States for the first time have set minimum standards of care in a
10-point document that defines how to minister emotionally and
spiritually to people in times of disaster.

â??It is a true realization of their faith when Catholics,
Scientologists, Protestants, Evangelicals, Buddhists and Jews can sit
down together and define the standards of spiritual care for the benefit
of disaster survivors,â?? said Diana Rothe-Smith, executive director  of
National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster. Forty-nine U.S.
organizations make up VOAD.

â??Rather than put aside their differing beliefs, they have mutually
embraced them, and this extraordinary document is the result,â?? said
Rothe-Smith.

Explicitly outlined in the set of standards are protections for
survivors, at what is often a vulnerable time. Without adequate care for
those who seek it, spiritual, emotional and psychological challenges can
last well beyond when homes or businesses are repaired.

The 10 points to the Spiritual Care Points of Consensus are:
-	Basic concepts of disaster spiritual care
-	Types of disaster spiritual care
-	Local community resources
-	Disaster emotional care and its relationship to disaster
spiritual care
-	Disaster spiritual care in response and recovery
-	Disaster emotional and spiritual care for the care giver
-	Planning, preparedness, training and mitigation as spiritual
care components
-	Disaster spiritual care in diversity
-	Disaster, trauma and vulnerability
-	Ethics and Standards of Care

"As significant as the adoption of these points of consensus is the
cooperation conversation that took place among these partners to form
them," said the Rev. Kevin Massey,  a current National VOAD board
member.  "We did not start with consensus; rather, it was created
through respectful conversation."

Working collaboratively, the members of National VOAD are the driving
force behind disaster recovery in the United States. National VOAD
facilitates cooperation among every major non-profit and faith-based
disaster response organization in the U.S. National VOAD agencies focus
on all stages of disaster -- preparedness, relief, response, recovery
and mitigation.  In 2008, these organizations provided more than $200
million dollars in direct financial assistance and more than 7 million
hours in volunteer labor.

For more information, contact Diana Rothe-Smith at 1-703-778-5088.

To learn more about National VOAD and the work of its member
organizations, or to review the Points of Consensus in its entirety,
visit www.nvoad.org.

From: "Lesley Crosson" <lcrosson@churchworldservice.org