Stress and depression awareness in the post Katrina Louisiana (STAND) project: Anticipating the unexpected in a project with flexibility and a living logic model

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the subsequent levee breaches devastated Louisiana causing damage, displacement and death never before seen in this country. Survivors of these disasters are experiencing a multitude of stressors. Many people are experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorders and a majority is facing ongoing stress related to living in often chaotic environments with deficits in resources. A community organization in partnership with the Louisiana Office of Public Health applied for a grant to increase community awareness of stress and depression by training community women to facilitate support groups for women to engage in the healing process of talking and sharing. The project proposal arose from pre-disaster experiences with the partnership and familiarity with community work.

The project's initial design and priorities were determined in response to a series of focus groups and review of the disaster recovery literature. However, as communities progress through stages of redevelopment and individuals through their process of recovery, the project must be able to respond to needs as they arise. Responsiveness is inherent in the design in that trained community women and the groups they facilitate will determine topics for discussion. Several structural elements have also been included in the project to allow continual updating and relevance:

1) Training using adult learning principles wherein participants' own knowledge and experience is integrated into the sessions.

2) Follow-up support to trained group facilitators with weekly phone calls and quarterly group meetings.

3) Ongoing evaluation of key project indicators such as self efficacy.