AAMFT is a member of the American Red Cross Disaster Mental Health Partners coalition. AAMFT has been participating in this coalition for many years, and we will communicate with AAMFT members through our social media platforms any needs that the Red Cross may have related to Hurricane Harvey. Also, AAMFT recently learned that the Red Cross was going to start allowing associates, such as Pre-Clinical Fellows, who have a state licensure or similar designation, to serve as Red Cross Disaster Mental Health providers. Please watch this blog post, Facebook, and Twitter for updates as things progress.
Volunteer recruitment information can be found at http://www.redcross.org/hurricane-harvey-health-professionals.
Our thoughts are with our members and the many people on the Gulf Coast in the path of Harvey, as well as the first responders who will help. Please take all necessary precautions and stay safe.
UPDATE:
The American Red Cross provided AAMFT and other partner mental health associations with an update on efforts to deploy Disaster Mental Health and other healthcare volunteers to assist victims of Hurricane Harvey. The response from providers was incredible, with over 5,000 applications for volunteers received last week. The Red Cross appreciates this tremendous response from MFTs and other mental health providers.
The Red Cross is processing applications from providers as quickly as possible in the order of deployment availability. If you have applied, please wait for a call from the Red Cross for further direction. Due to this tremendous response, the Red Cross has temporarily paused the acceptance of applications until they can work through the list of current applicants.