Lessons Learned from Community Health Providers in Posthurricane Receiving Communities

There is an accumulating body of research on behavioral health, temporary displacement, and social connectedness after disasters; however, less is known about perceptions of providers regarding services and the effectiveness of the services that are offered. The purpose of this study is to provide an in-depth analysis of reflections from providers who worked immediately after Hurricane Katrina in the Greater Baton Rouge area, which was one of the largest receiving communities. This study provides a response legacy framework with findings that emphasize collaboration, improved understanding of cultural differences, disaster planning and readiness, improved understanding of trauma informed care, self-care, and policy changes. The study also provides ways to support disaster response professionals in their efforts toward increasing social justice and fostering of community resilience. Our study found that providers were satisfied with their postdisaster work and feel that evidence informed changes through lessons learned will prove beneficial to current and future disaster response.