Quantum Units Education

Introduction

1. The major objective of disaster mental health operations is to mobilize staff to disaster sites so that they can attend to the physical and social needs of survivors.

2. Cultural competence requires change and must be manifested at which level of an organization?

Section One: Culture and Disaster

3. Because of higher birth and immigration rates, the Hispanic population is growing faster than any other ethnic minority group.

Understanding Culture

4. The term that refers to a common heritage of a particular group is:

Diversity Among and Within Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups

5. It is projected that by the year 2020, the combined Asian American and Pacific Islander population will reach approximately 10 million, or about 4 percent of the total U.S. population.

Cultural Competence: Scope and Terminology

6. Cultural sensitivity is defined as the ability to empathize with and understand the needs and emotions of persons of one’s own culture as well as those of others.

Cultural Destructiveness

7. Organizations or individuals in the cultural destructiveness stage view cultural differences as a problem and participate in activities that purposely attempt to destroy a culture.

Cultural Incapacity

8. The cultural incapacity stage is characterized by those who intentionally seek to cause harm because they believe in the superiority of their own racial or ethnic group and assume a paternalistic posture toward “lesser” groups.

9. The midpoint of the continuum is _______________ in  which organizations and individuals believe that color or culture makes no difference and that all people are the same.

10. Organizations in the cultural adherence stage run the risk of becoming complacent, especially when members believe that the accomplishment of a few goals or activities fulfill the obligation to the community.

Cultural Competence and Disaster Mental Health Services

11. Survivors react to and recover from disaster within the context of their individual racial and ethnic backgrounds, cultural viewpoints and:

12. Three influences that culturally competent mental health service providers must recognize are importance of community, racism and discrimination, and social and economic inequality.

Racism and Discrimination

13. As a result of past or present experiences with racism and discrimination, racial and ethnic minority groups may distrust offers of outside assistance at any time, even following a disaster.

Social and Economic Inequality

14. Ironically, the group that is most likely to receive disaster related services are the affluent because they most capable of maneuvering within the system compared to survivors with fewer means or those from different cultures.

Disaster Phases and Responses

15. Emotional responses to disaster tend to follow a pattern of seven “disaster phases” which generally move forward in linear fashion.

16. When a disaster affects a significant proportion of a community’s population, few individuals may be available to provide material and emotional support to survivors. This is known as:

Impact Phase

17. Reactions ranging from confusion, disbelief, and anxiety to _____________ may occur during the impact phase of a disaster.

Disillusionment Phase

18. Which of the following is an accurate statement about the disillusionment phase?

Cultural Competence and Disaster Mental Health Planning

19. Which of the following is NOT one of the recommended steps to develop a culturally competent disaster mental health plan?

Questions to Address in a Disaster Mental Health Plan

20. It is the responsibility of government officials to determine who would lead the response during different phases of a disaster.

Guiding Principles for Cultural Competence in Disaster Mental Health Programs

21. One of the most important principles in preparing for a disaster is to maintain a current profile of the cultural composition of the community.

Principle One: Recognize Importance of Culture and Respect Diversity

22. Disaster mental health workers can help reestablish customs, rituals, and __________________ and thereby help survivors cope with a disaster.

Important Considerations When Interacting with People of Other Cultures

23. Although different cultures may have different interpretations of the overall concept of time, it is important the crisis counselors set concrete time frames and time lines in order to maintain structure.

Principle Three: Recruit Workers who are Representative of the Community

24. When recruiting disaster workers, they must be selected based on race, ethnicity, and language skills in order to ensure a sufficient and effective response.

Staff Attributes, Knowledge, and Skills Essential to Development of Cultural Competence

25. Genuineness, empathy, and a capacity to respond flexibly to a range of possible solutions are classified at essential skills in the development of cultural competence.

Principle Five: Ensure that Services are Accessible, Appropriate, and Equitable

26. Some members of cultural groups may be reluctant to take advantage of services because of negative past experiences, such as undocumented immigrants who may not seek service because of fear of deportation.

27. Disaster outreach workers should recognize cultural variations in expression of emotion, manifestation and description of psychological symptoms, and:

Special Considerations When Working with Refugees

28. Many refugees may have experienced fractured social relationships because their communities of origins have failed to provide needed security and they may be reluctant to form new community bonds.

Customs and Traditions in Trauma and Loss

29. Different populations may elaborate on the cultural meaning of suffering in a number of ways, but suffering itself is not a defining characteristic of the human condition in all societies.

Customs and Traditions for Healing

30. Although the crisis counselor may not subscribe to certain non-traditional cultural healing beliefs, he or she must acknowledge their existence and recognize their importance to some disaster survivors.

Natural Support Networks

31. Racial and ethnic households are, on average, larger than white households and are more often multigenerational, such as Asians who are more than _________ as likely as whites to live in extended families.

Principle Seven: Involve Community Leaders as Cultural Brokers

32. In many African American communities, churches are the center of political, social, educational, and cultural activities, and therefore play an important role in disaster recovery.

Principal Eight: Ensure that Services and Information are Adequate

33. An organization and its personnel must exhibit _______________ to ensure accurate communication of information in languages other than English.

Guidelines for Using Interpreters

34. Survivors’ friends and relatives should not be used as interpreters since the survivor may not feel comfortable expressing concerns of a personal nature to their loved ones.

Principle Nine: Assess and Evaluate the Program's Level of Cultural Competence

35. Developing a culturally competent disaster crisis counseling program requires commitment and __________ in order to help disaster survivors recover and heal.