Utilizing Professional Practitioners The Role of the Professional Social Worker 14 th Annual EMI Higher Education Conference Emmetsburg, Maryland Dr. Tom Osowski Dr. Alan Bougere Dr. Tim Rehner

Presentation Outline Context of disasters in Mississippi Disasters in Mississippi Research Lessons learned Involvement of Professional Practitioners

A Mississippi Context million residents 60.5 white 37.2 black 20.8 ↓ poverty line/13.2 in US Rapid ↑Hispanic/Latino – Large long term Vietnamese population on coast – SOURCE: 2010 US Census/MS State Demography Information

South Mississippi Defined: South of I -20 Approximately 1.8 million people Heavily forested, rolling hills – suburban spread Home to states largest cities: Jackson, Gulfport/Biloxi, Hattiesburg, Pascagoula

Coastal Mississippi 3 coastal counties, half million people. Tourism - casinos Ship-building Fishing Healthcare Aerospace engineering Stennis Space Center – YEP, we design rocket engines!

Mississippi Coastal Topography Flat! Gentle rise starting about 10 miles inland 65 miles: Hattiesburg, approx 135’ above sea level Western Delta, natural flood plain. Highest point 807’ Woodall Mountain! (246 metres)

University of Southern Mississippi Only research university in South Mississippi Dual campus university – Hattiesburg (14,000) – Coast (3,000) Approximately 17,000 students.

USM – Gulf Coast Campus Located on beach front property! – Long Beach, MS Highest point about 30’ Marine Science, Nursing and Business – largest majors. (on coast site) 5 additional off campus coastal teaching sites: Stennis Space Center, Keesler AFB, Gulfport, Point Cadet, Ocean Springs Research Labs

South Mississippi: Disaster Target FOUR MAJOR DISASTERS : Hurricane Camille : Methylparathion (Cotton Poisoning) : Hurricane Katrina : BP Oil Release

1969 Hurricane Camille August 17 (BSL/PC) Cat 5 landfall/200+mph winds 143 people died on coast $1.42 billion damage (1969 dollars) Results in closure of Gulf Park College for Women – will become USM – Gulf Coast Campus.

1996: Methylparathion Disaster MP: agricultural pesticide to control insects. Works well on roaches also! Early 1980’s – 1995, sprayed in over 1800 structures (1,777 homes) Clean-up $69 million, economic impact $100 million. Largest single-year EPA payout on toxic clean-up.

August 29, 2005: Hurricane Katrina 1,836 people died Category 3 Hurricane Came ashore MS/LA border – similar area as Camille, 36 years earlier. 30’ tidal surge coastal MS 90% of all MS coastal community structures damaged/destroyed 100% of USM – GC facilities damaged!

April 20, 2010: BP Oil Release 11 killed/17 injured 7/15/2010 capped 4.9 million barrels into Gulf Destruction of marine habitat, shoreline and coastal economy. LA/MS major economic losses

Research After Methylparathion 10/1 – 12/ households/1242 contaminated CES-D: 19.92/16 clinical ↑ need MH services ↑ role for S Workers ↓ community adaptation SOURCE: Rehner, T, (et al) Depression Among Victims of Methyl Parathion Disaster in South Mississippi After BP Oil Release 10/30 – 11/6, randomly selected households, S of I -10 CES-D: 6.69/16 clinical CES-D scores higher for impacted persons! ↑ need for children’s MH Proximity/stacked disasters. Perception of disaster SOURCE: Osowski T. (et all). Forthcoming:. “Descriptive and Inferential Statistics of the BP Oil Disaster”.

Research Summary of three research papers: Proximity to disaster Previous exposure to disaster – stacked disasters Pre-existing health/mental health conditions Economic resources Households with pre-school children Speed of disaster (slow moving vs sudden) SOURCE: Osowski T. (et all) Forthcoming. Descriptive and Inferential Statistics of Children BP Oil Disaster. Osowski, T (et al) Forthcoming. Descriptive and Inferential Statistics of BP Oil Disaster. Osowski, T (et al). Forthcoming: Community Resilience of a Disaster following the BP Oil Spill.

Tangible Lessons Learned For USM – Gulf Coast Overall disaster plan effective! Critical infrastructure Off site data storage 72 – 48 – 24

Tangible Lessons Learned USM – Hattiesburg Disaster plan, not entirely effective! Evacuate students within 48 – 72 hour window. Prepare for utility failure of more than 48 hours. Electronic door locks!

Tangible lessons learned 4,000 students remained in campus housing – no water. Immediate sewage issues. No electricity/no water = no food service! 4,000 students no activities, no air conditioning – HIGH potential for violence! Evacuees from coast and NOLA arriving on campus seeking shelter. Parents arriving to “take home their babies” Campus is almost impossible to truly secure!

Tangible lessons learned Not enough “outside EM” people involved in disaster plan. People assuming what other agencies can provide. FEMA money helpful… FEMA policies hindered rapid recovery. What is role of a university in a disaster? Research……immeasurable losses of data and research projects.

Tangible lessons learned Clean-up and restoration is EASY – Recovery is long-term and HARD! Involve human professionals in planning, social workers, nurses, along with traditional EM planners.

Involvement of Professional Practitioners There is NOTHING that occurs during a disaster that social workers do not deal with EVERYDAY: Loss of housing Loss of job Spousal abuse Economic issues Substance Abuse Crisis Counseling Dealing with uncertainty and stress Connecting client need with existing services Utilizing NGO’s and Government Services

Professional Practitioners Your neighbors Before the Storm During the Storm After the Storm

USM Campus Emergency Directed by Chief of Police Involvement of Counseling Center/Student Health and others as needed. Information Officer: PR….needs ongoing Crisis Plans: only as good as people knowing how to respond CARES team Incident debriefing

What Southern Miss is still not good at dealing with!

Video The Southern Miss Story: Hurricanes, Depression and State Politics: 6nAEEAO4 6nAEEAO4

Questions? Comments, DONATIONS!! Dr. Tom Osowski School of Social Work 730 East Beach BLVD Long Beach MS