Disaster Science & Management Program, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA.
Department of Sociology & Criminal Justice, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA.
J Community Psychol. 2022 May;50(4):1816-1830. doi: 10.1002/jcop.22609. Epub 2021 May 25.
People experiencing homelessness are vulnerable to disasters and hazards and are at risk for contracting COVID-19. In this study, we gathered data from 10 community-based organizations (CBO's) in the United States that work to provide services for people experiencing homelessness. The combined CBO's span across rural, urban, and a mixture of both settings. We identified three needs that the CBO's indicated to be urgent: (1) the increased need for basic services among guests/clients, (2) new organizational challenges for the CBO's, and (3) issues related to emergency management and disasters. Among these urgent needs, respondents also indicated the need for emotional support for staff and volunteers experiencing burnout during the COVID-19 response. They also expressed some unique aspects of new care delivery systems, such as clients' willingness to engage in rehabilitation programs because of noncongregate sheltering options corresponding with those support services.
无家可归者易受灾害和危险影响，感染 COVID-19 的风险较高。在这项研究中，我们收集了美国 10 家社区组织（CBO）的数据，这些组织致力于为无家可归者提供服务。这些 CBO 分布在农村、城市和城乡混合地区。我们确定了 CBO 指出的三个紧急需求：（1）客人/客户对基本服务的需求增加，（2）CBO 面临新的组织挑战，（3）与紧急情况管理和灾害相关的问题。在这些紧急需求中，受访者还表示需要为在 COVID-19 应对期间经历倦怠的员工和志愿者提供情感支持。他们还表达了新的护理提供系统的一些独特方面，例如由于与这些支持服务相对应的非聚集性避难所选择，客户愿意参与康复计划。
