FDNY Crisis Counseling: Innovative Responses to 9/11 Firefighters, Families, and Communities

Advance praise for FDNY Crisis Counseling

"This riveting book . . . underscores the need for creativity, modesty, clinical acumen and cultural sensitivity in response to trauma. One ends up in awe both of the lost and surviving firefighters and their courageous families. And the reader emerges with a profound respect for the extraordinary CSU staff who literally came to their rescue."
--Paul A. Kurzman, PhD, ACSW, Professor and Chair of Work, Employment, and Rehabilitation Programs at the Hunter College School of Social Work of the City University of New York

"This remarkable book comprises a major contribution to the crisis treatment literature. Overall, many will benefit from this careful, well documented explication of an approach to disaster counseling over time."
--Katherine Shear, MD, Professor of Psychiatry in Social Work, Columbia University School of Social Work

Developing and implementing effective crisis counseling techniques in response to mass trauma

Shortly after the September 11th attacks, as the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) started their recovery work in the ruins of the World Trade Center, a large-scale mental health response within the FDNY swung into action, initiated by staff in the department's Counseling Services Unit (CSU). FDNY Crisis Counseling: Innovative Responses to 9/11 Firefighters, Families, and Communities tells the story of this ongoing response from the perspective of those who put it into practice.

Using narrative, case studies, and other real-world examples, this unique new resource lays out a roadmap for applying innovative approaches to disaster response and the prevention of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. The pioneering efforts of the CSU present a model for all mental health professionals working with organizations, communities, individuals, and families.
* A brief history of the CSU
* FDNY culture and the impact of 9/11
* Shaping services to meet 9/11 needs
* Providing help to families, including widows and children
* Partnering with other agencies and cargivers to deliver services