Community Mobilization Committee

The After the Crisis Initiative (ATC) has formed an innovative committee, the Community Mobilization Committee, which is focused on developing individual and community-level support strategies and increasing community disaster response capacity.  The committee discovered that one of the most important aspects of community life is the social networks individuals develop, whether it is through their neighborhoods, local businesses, or places of worship.  Regardless of the nature of the disaster, it is critically important for community recovery that people are provided with the tools necessary to stay connected.  The committee believes that creating a disaster support network that focuses on ways in which disaster affect entire communities is the key in disaster planning. 

The Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania, in conjunction with the Center for Mental Health Policy and Services Research at the University of Pennsylvania, has developed a Disaster Community Support Network (DCSN) model.  This model, based on experiences in Philadelphia, PA, is an example of a program that facilitates recovery among individuals and communities affected by traumatic events that have a community impact. The ATC Initiative promotes the DCSN model on its ATC webpage and through presentations and other forms of dissemination, click here to view.   

The ATC Community Mobilization Committee has developed a concept paper “Mobilizing Local Communities to Heal after Disasters: A Proposal” on the topic of community mobilization click here to view.