Surviving Hurricane Katrina: Winds of Change Transform a New Orleans Addiction Treatment Agency

Abstract

Hurricane Katrina's impact on the operations of the largest residential, addiction treatment organization in New Orleans is described. Pre‐ and post‐Katrina experiences are discussed and augmented with organizational performance data. Suggestions for future research are provided.

Resilience of Professional Counselors Following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

“…Given the disabled mental health care system, Kamps () described two major professional challenges in New Orleans immediately following Hurricane Katrina: (a) having difficulty locating existing clients to resume counseling and (b) not having mental health resources in place necessary to address the vast need for new services. In the first few months following Katrina, mental health professionals were unsure if their agencies would remain open, compacting the personal stress experienced by providers who were wondering if they still had a job (Toriello et al, ). Those agencies that did remain open struggled to stay connected to employees who were scattered throughout the state and nation (Osofsky, ).…”

Reflections 10 Years Post-Hurricane Katrina: Implications for Addiction Counseling

“…Treatment professionals' needs postdisaster are paramount. Organizational preplanning, evaluation, and preparedness may contribute to program resilience and recovery (Toriello et al, ). Logistical needs (e.g., facilities, transportation, communications) have been identified above (see VanderGast & Lassiter, ).…”