USPS EAP Operational Value Approach to Disaster Mental

Health in the Wake of Katrina & Rita

W. Dennis Derr Ed.D. SPHRProject Officer USPS EAP

Senior Consultant, Signature Resources

The Culture“Neither rain, snow, sleet or hail nor the dark of night will keep us from our appointed rounds”

Delivery of mail is considered a sign of normalcy in disrupted communities

The Culture

Delivery of the mail is critical to social security and other government Aid programs.

Over 7,000 USPS Employees evacuated with their families as far away as Maine to escape the destruction.

The Waveland, MS. Post Office was on this slab, all that remains. The previous day someone put the toy post office there to remind everyone what was there. The ocean is about 1/2 mile away. Everything to the tree line in the background was swept away. (9/15)

Over 800 postal facilities were damaged beyond repair in AL., LA, MS, TX.

Estimated repair costs may exceed $200,000,000

Within 48 hours post storm mail delivery returns to most areas in a limited fashion.

EAP ResponseEAP Response

30 EAP staff deployed at impact sites 30 EAP staff deployed at impact sites or visiting most damaged locations or visiting most damaged locations within 48 hours offering within 48 hours offering • Psychological First Aid Psychological First Aid • Organizational First Aid/Coaching to Organizational First Aid/Coaching to

managers and leaders.managers and leaders.• Clinical interventions Clinical interventions

Response cont.Response cont.

USPS sets up a call in 800 # for employees USPS sets up a call in 800 # for employees to identify evacuated location, status, and to identify evacuated location, status, and work capability. Linked service to EAP work capability. Linked service to EAP service center in St. Louis.service center in St. Louis.

EAP creates PERCs (Postal Employee EAP creates PERCs (Postal Employee Resource Centers) in Houston, Baton Resource Centers) in Houston, Baton Rouge and Mobile to service USPS Rouge and Mobile to service USPS evacuees.evacuees.

EAP takes responsibility to contact 3,000 EAP takes responsibility to contact 3,000 missing employee evacuees via missing employee evacuees via emergency contact numbers.emergency contact numbers.

Response cont.Response cont.

EAP/Behavioral health experts embedded EAP/Behavioral health experts embedded with regional operations emergency with regional operations emergency management and logistics staff.management and logistics staff.

EAP/Behavioral health experts embedded EAP/Behavioral health experts embedded with USPS HQ executives and emergency with USPS HQ executives and emergency management staff.management staff.

EAP daily reports part of the executive EAP daily reports part of the executive decision and process support.decision and process support.

Current StatusCurrent Status

500 USPS evacuees take positions away 500 USPS evacuees take positions away from impact zone.from impact zone.

EAP staff acting as key consultative EAP staff acting as key consultative experts in emergency planning teams.experts in emergency planning teams.

EAP utilization up in impacted areas (life EAP utilization up in impacted areas (life stress, substance misuse, family issues)stress, substance misuse, family issues)

Attempting to study with CSTS long term Attempting to study with CSTS long term occupational/psychological impact.occupational/psychological impact.

Lessons Learned and AppliedLessons Learned and Applied

Psychological first aid combined with Psychological first aid combined with organizational coaching is key to organizational coaching is key to supporting return to operational supporting return to operational human normalcy.human normalcy.

Lessons Learned and AppliedLessons Learned and Applied

Although psychological symptoms Although psychological symptoms exist in evacuees post event, their exist in evacuees post event, their first priority is creating some sense first priority is creating some sense of normalcy in their lives. They do of normalcy in their lives. They do not want to be diagnosed.not want to be diagnosed.

Lessons Learned and AppliedLessons Learned and Applied

Psychological and health resources Psychological and health resources continue to be depleted in impacted continue to be depleted in impacted areas. Previous levels of care can areas. Previous levels of care can not be assumednot be assumed