1 Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York USA.
2 National Center for Disaster Preparedness, Columbia University, New York, New York USA.
Prehosp Disaster Med. 2014 Apr;29(2):214-7. doi: 10.1017/S1049023X14000181. Epub 2014 Mar 21.
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: To qualitatively describe interventions by schools to meet children's needs after the May 2011 Joplin, Missouri tornado.
Qualitative exploratory study conducted six months after the tornado. Key informant interviews with school staff (teachers, psychologists, guidance counselor, nurse, principal), public health official, and physicians.
After the tornado, school staff immediately worked to contact every enrolled child to provide assistance and coordinate recovery services. Despite severe damage to half of the city's schools, the decision was made to reopen schools at the earliest possible time to provide a safe, reassuring environment and additional services. An expanded summer school session emphasized child safety and emotional wellbeing. The 2011-2012 school year began on time, less than three months after the disaster, using temporary facilities. Displaced children were bused to their usual schools regardless of their new temporary residence locations. In just-in-time training sessions, teachers developed strategies to support students and staff experiencing anxiety or depression. Certified counselors conducted school-based, small-group counseling for students. Selective referrals were made to community mental health providers for children with greatest needs.
Evidence from Joplin adds to a small body of empirical experience demonstrating the important contribution of schools to postdisaster community recovery. Despite timely and proactive services, many families and children struggled after the tornado. Improvements in the effectiveness of postdisaster interventions at schools will follow from future scientific evidence on optimal approaches.
背景/目的：定性描述学校在 2011 年 5 月密苏里州乔普林龙卷风后满足儿童需求的干预措施。
在龙卷风发生六个月后进行定性探索性研究。对学校工作人员（教师、心理学家、辅导员、护士、校长）、公共卫生官员和医生进行重点知情人访谈。
龙卷风过后，学校工作人员立即努力联系每一个在册儿童，提供援助并协调恢复服务。尽管该市一半的学校遭受严重破坏，但仍决定尽快重新开学，提供安全、安心的环境和额外的服务。一个扩大的暑期学校课程强调儿童安全和情绪健康。2011-2012 学年在灾难发生不到三个月后准时开始，使用临时设施。受灾儿童被校车送往他们通常的学校，而不管他们新的临时住所位置在哪里。在即时培训课程中，教师制定了支持焦虑或抑郁学生和工作人员的策略。认证顾问为学生提供基于学校的小组咨询。根据需要，为有最大需求的儿童向社区心理健康提供者进行选择性转介。
来自乔普林的证据增加了一小部分实证经验，证明了学校对灾后社区恢复的重要贡献。尽管服务及时且积极主动，但许多家庭和儿童在龙卷风后仍举步维艰。未来关于最佳方法的科学证据将为学校灾后干预措施的有效性提供改进。
