Crisis Intervention and Treatment Plan-Arish Refugees

Mark C. Todd

Crisis Intervention and Treatment Plan

Arish Refugees

CO 551

University of West Alabama

Submitted July 30, 2020

 Crisis Intervention and Treatment Plan-Arish Refugees

I. Introduction to theoretical model:

The task model of crisis assessment and intervention, developed by Lisa Jackson-Cherry, focuses

on four important areas of crisis assessment that lead to an effective four-task intervention plan

for individuals in virtually every type of crisis, regardless of setting. (Jackson-Cherry 2018)

II. Introduction to the client(s) and the working environment:

The attack by Islamist extremists on the Egyptian village of Arish near the Gaza border forced

dozens of Egyptian Christian families to flee for their lives. Seven Christians were murdered in a

night of vicious attacks, and roaming bands of Islamic State militia worked to create an

atmosphere of fear and terror in the region. The families of those who were murdered found their

loved ones beaten or cut down in the streets. In several cases the murders took place in front of

family members, and one grandfather was shot through a window while his whole family was

gathered together, including his grandchildren. All of those who fled were gripped with anxiety,

grief, loss, and trauma over the events that occurred.

The refugees gathered in Churches in the Suez village of Ismailiyah. It was there that aid

workers were first able to offer help. Our team from the National Evangelical Church, along with

other Presbyterian Churches, send aid and helpers to the Presbyterian Church in Ismailiyah. The

families were housed in rooms of the Churches, and the government made local school

classrooms available as shelters.

 Crisis Intervention and Treatment Plan-Arish Refugees

III. Essential Crisis Assessment Tasks:

Assessment Task 1: Address Safety, Stabilization, and Risk Assessment

The first work of the team was to assess whether there was ongoing danger to the refugee, or to

relief workers. The distance from the village where the attack happened was several hundred

kilometers, across the Sinai Peninsula, in a desert area. The Egyptian Army effectively blocked

any attack on the new location by the terrorists by posting guards on the highway, and closely

monitoring traffic. They also posted guards on all shelter areas. Because of the media attention

on the incident it was important for the government to show control over safety. There was

deemed to be no further danger to anyone.

Task 2: Follow a Holistic Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual Approach

Local Church Pastors had already begun working on assessing the spiritual, emotional, material,

and medical needs of the refugees. There were many immediate material needs, because all of

them had fled with only what they could fit in their cars or carry on a bus. One family had all of

their produce trucks stolen from them at gunpoint by terrorists and had only a small car to drive

to Ismailiyah.

Assessment Task 3: Clarify the Problem(s)

Food and toiletries were the most immediate needs for all families. For those with babies, most

had brought their essentials, but diapers and milk needed to be replenished. There were several

families who needed medications refilled. In Egypt, Pharmacists can directly prescribe medicine

and the families all knew exactly what they needed. This saved us the trouble of searching for
 Crisis Intervention and Treatment Plan-Arish Refugees

medical records or calling in physicians. There was also a great need for counseling because of

the anxiety and fear among all families.

Assessment Task 4: Explore Coping Skills, Resources, and Supports

All of the families had faith and prayer to help them cope with fear. The government (along with

Churches) provided shelter and security. Some of the families had money to meet their most

basic needs, while others had been extorted and robbed by the terrorist bands. The local

Churches in Ismailiyah were the main resource of support for the refugees. The funding that we

brought could be used by the Churches to meet immediate needs.

It was also extremely important that our team assess the resources available to us to help. We had

brought substantial cash and had three Pastors who were willing to help with putting that to work

for the refugee families. We decided to focus on those families who had sought shelter in the

Presbyterian Church so that our resources would be able to make a substantial difference.

Spreading our resources out over the dozens of families sheltered elsewhere would have made

our help much less significant. We did confirm that other Church group were working in the

Churches of their faith as we were in ours.

IV. Essential Crisis Intervention Tasks:

Intervention Task 1: Normalize and Educate

Our team worked with those who sought shelter at the Presbyterian Church. It was important to

listen to them tell their stories. They needed to talk. We prayed with them and assured them that

they were not alone, and that God would see them through this. If I had been trained better, I
 Crisis Intervention and Treatment Plan-Arish Refugees

would have dwelt more on the idea that they were normal people going through an abnormal

circumstance. But we did let them know that their anxieties and fears were normal reactions.

Intervention Task 2: Explore Options

The families all agreed that they could never return to their village of Arish. They could never

again feel safe there. So the village was effectively purged of all Christians. The government also

encouraged them to resettle elsewhere for security reasons. Finding a new livelihood was

important to them. Some had relatives in other areas of Egypt where they could find help

resettling. Others decided to look in the local economy for options. Finding a new livelihood was

very important for them, so we found a resource through the synod to offer new job skills and

small business training.

Intervention Task 3: Develop a Plan and Obtain a Commitment

We worked with the Presbyterian Churches to offer them a job skills training program, along

with micro-loans to start a new small business. The synod there has done this program

successfully a number of times among poor populations. Trained response workers were already

in place, all that was needed was funding, which we made available. The Synod committed to

hold one job training program for all those who wanted to sign up, which ended up being about a

dozen men. A group of families who resettled further South needed a microloan to restart their

produce business.
 Crisis Intervention and Treatment Plan-Arish Refugees

Intervention Task 4: Prepare Documentation, Follow Up, and Provide Referrals

Families were connected to Churches in the region in which they settled. Records of their names

were sent to the synod to make sure they were visited by the local Churches. A number of

families resettled to Asyut. I have done three follow-up visits myself to check on their progress

over the last two years. Now that I am being trained in Counseling, I hope to help with any

remaining trauma or anxiety issues that they are facing.

V. Cultural and Gender Considerations:

Egyptian families are strong, self-contained units who are not always open to the intervention of

outsiders. They are always friendly and hospitable. In this case help was desperately needed and

appreciated. One of their greatest embarrassments was being unable to serve us tea in their

shelters. Our care for their spiritual and emotional needs was all done in family counseling

settings where we listened a lot, talked a little, and prayed with them. There was little interaction

on an individual level. The families where I have done significant follow-up have been very

welcoming and hospitable, and opened up personally. Gender barriers are very strict and not to

be challenged. That would immediately break trust and fellowship. A team desiring to counsel

women must bring along women to do that work.

VI. Resources:

Jackson-Cherry Lisa R.. Crisis Assessment, Intervention, and Prevention (Merrill Counseling)

(pp. 7-15). Pearson Education. Kindle Edition.