First — Do No Harm. This principle has guided Catholic health care since the founding of our ministry and it must also guide our disaster response efforts — both domestically and internationally.
CHA is oftentimes called in times of disaster: by those in the midst of a disaster, asking for us to help coordinate potential response resources; and by those who would like information on how they might best provide assistances to impacted health care organizations and devastated communities. While CHA is a resource for members, our best ability in disaster response lies in sharing relevant, timely information by hosting networking calls on specific disaster areas, and also, in sharing links where information is provided to known, trusted resources — particularly as they relate to our Catholic ministry. A listing of such organizations and items are included on this page.
Please feel free to recommend and share any additional items by contacting Bruce Compton, CHA's senior director of Global Health, who is also available if you are looking to be connected with resources.
Resources
Disaster Response: Considerations for Catholic Health Care
Developed with assistance from Catholic Relief Services and Catholic Charities USA, this CHA brochure provides ministry leaders with considerations for how health care organizations can appropriately respond in times of domestic or international disaster.
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Disaster Response - Video Case Study
CHA has developed several video case studies on topics related to global health and medical surplus recovery. Meant to open conversations and to illuminate some of the feedback from CHA's research on surplus recovery and short-term medical mission trips, they shed an ethical light on practices and some of the mentality behind a desire to serve to do to good for others.