What is the Green Cross?
The Green Cross Academy of Traumatology was initially organized to serve a need in Oklahoma City following the April 19, 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. In 2004, GCP merged with Green Cross Foundation and emerged as the Green Cross Academy of Traumatology. We are an international, non-profit, humanitarian assistance organization comprised of trained traumatologists and compassion fatigue service providers. Most are licensed mental health professionals, all are oriented to helping people in crisis following traumatic events.
What does Green Cross do?
The Green Cross Academy of Traumatology responds to requests from individuals, organizations, and other entities following a traumatic event. The requests can include any or all of the following:
- Crisis Assistance and Counseling
- Assessment and Referral Services
- Orientation and Consultation to Management
- Training, Education, and Certification
- Family Resource Management
- Long-Term Trauma Counseling
How does Green Cross help victims?
The Mission of any deployment is to transform "victims" into "survivors." Immediately following a traumatic event victims attempt to address five fundamental questions:
- What happened to me/others? (shock, disbelief, disorientation, confusion)
- Why did it happen to me/us? (fear)
- Why did I/we do what I/we did during and right after this disaster? (guilt and feelings of inadequacy)
- Why have I/we acted as I/we have since the disaster? (confusion and worry about their sanity and ability to recover)
- Will I/we be able to cope if this disaster happens again?
Service Provision: Organized Assistance
Prior to and throughout the deployment, the GCA works with the host or client to clarify the mission of the deployment and specify measurable and attainable goals. Typically the services provided are provided in waves:
Wave I (Days 1-10)
Crisis stabilization, contacting local GCA members to establish a chapter for continuity of care
Wave II (Days 5-15)
Stress management, social support, orientation of management.
Wave III (Days 10-20)
All of the above plus training, assessment and referral, and family resource development.
Wave IV (Days 15-40)
All of the above reactions plus grief and loss consultation and counseling.
“We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.”
- Mother Teresa