Ethical Considerations in Disaster Services: A Social Work Perspective

Abstract

■ Abstract Natural and technological disasters often strike communities with little or no warning. This paper examines ethical considerations that influence disaster response and recovery efforts and that may go unrec ognized within the overwhelming, complex situations created by disasters. First, background information is provided on similarities and differences between natural and technological disasters and on the phases of disaster m anagem ent. Second, a conceptual framework is described that integrates values and ethical principles that govern social work practice into the context of disaster management, with a focus on post-disaster res ponse and rec overy. Third, pos tdisaster service delivery problems, gaps, and barriers that often emerge are discussed. Fourth, roles that social workers have to play in the planning, preparation, and implementation of ethically grounded, culturally-sensitive, postdisaster social service delivery is reviewed. Emphasis is placed on ways to improve the capacity, opportunity, and rapidity with which individuals, families, organ iz ations, an d communities can recover from the devastation that accom panies disaster.