Vashon Community Care Team Roles, Responsibilities, and Requirements

MISSION

The Community Care Team (CCT) is the volunteer counseling and behavioral health unit of Vashon Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), which is charged with responding to increased medical and mental health needs during a natural disaster, or emergency, such as the Covid-19 pandemic. The CCT was developed in 2008 to work with VashonBePrepared and MRC to create additional capacity for crisis intake of mental health needs, assessments and triage, resource information, individual and family support, and disaster-related emotional assistance during a Federal and State declared emergency, in coordination with existing agency providers and VashonBePrepared.

The Spiritual Resources Group is a new arm of the Community Care Team. SRG is working with faith groups, poets, and others on this island to support the spiritual health of our community. The term “spiritual” is intended in as broad a sense as possible. It is not limited to and does not assume belief or religion. Spiritual care providers will respect and be guided by the perspectives, values, goals and experiences of the person seeking support. There will be no proselytizing or promoting of particular religious, spiritual, philosophical, moral, lifestyle, or other frameworks.

Community Care Team (CCT) Functions and Roles

* develop coordinated systems of intakes, information and resource provision, mental health and support needs assessments, spiritual health and support needs assessments referrals to other agencies, and crisis counseling for those affected by public emergencies

* collaborate with existing mental health, substance abuse, domestic violence, faith community, bereavement, and social services to avoid duplication, increase surge capacity, and supplement local resources;

* provide crisis services for mental and spiritual health needs related to public emergencies: assessments and triage, resource information, individual and family support, emotional /spiritual assistance, and counseling related to community crisis, in coordination with existing agency providers, the MRC, EOC and VBP;

* provide administrative support for CCT leadership in the development and maintenance of documents, e.g., volunteer lists, public information and website messaging, equipment needs, CCT minutes, and requirements;

Requirements: All mental health providers must be currently licensed by WA State and become a Registered Emergency Worker (REW) through WAServe. Other support personnel must sign up as a Temporary Emergency Worker (TEW).

Volunteering

If you are interested in volunteering with CCT, please complete the volunteer application at https://vashonbeprepared.org/Help-Out/Volunteer and let us know you are especially interested in joining the CCT.

CCT Response to COVID-19

  • 1.Created a CCT virtual Help Line for community residents. The Help line has two extensions:

    • A. Confidential, no-cost counseling with trained and licensed mental health professionals. The CCT Mental Health offers up to three sessions.

    • B. Confidential Help Line support from Spiritual Care Providers. The CCT Spiritual Care Providers offer up to three sessions.

  • 2. Set up CCT on-line support groups with experienced facilitators and/or spiritual care providers for youth and adults.

  • 3. Set up CCT online support groups using Psychological First Aid to help residents and first responders.

  • 4. Created a public website www.vashonbeprepared.org/mentalhealth with mental health resources (local, state, and national) and spiritual health resources (poems, prayers, and spiritual practices with photos from island photographers).

  • 5. Developed a postcard with Help Line information and island resources which was mailed to all residents.

  • 6. Coordinate systems of support with other island agencies.

  • 7. Created CCT Toolkit  to serve as a model for other rural communities and tribal nations.

  • 8. Developed Fall Suicide Prevention Campaign using L.E.A.R.N. materials courtesy of UW Forefront and Vashon counselors.

  • 9. Developed Winter Campaign - 9 Strategies for Resiliency

  • 10. Developed the Gratitude Project postcard to send to islanders who have assisted the community during the pandemic. 

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