(RNS) More than 20 faith-based organizations, from Scientologists to Buddhists to Catholics, have come together to produce a guide on addressing the spiritual and emotional needs of disaster victims.
The document was released by the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, an organization made up of 49 U.S. non-profit groups whose missions includes disaster response.
National VOAD brings the groups together to focus on the five stages of disaster: preparedness, relief, response, recovery and mitigation.
In 2008, these groups gave more than $200 million in direct financial assistance and volunteered more than 7 million hours of labor. While National VOAD works to restore homes and businesses after disasters, it also recognizes that spiritual, emotional and psychological trials may persist after the physical ramifications of a disaster have been addressed.
The diverse group of Catholics, Scientologists, Buddhists and Jews teamed up to form a 10-point set of minimum standards when dealing with survivors of catastrophes.
“As significant as the adoption of these points of consensus is the cooperation conversation that took place among these partners to form them,” the Rev. Kevin Massey, a current National VOAD board member, said in a press release. “We did not start with consensus; rather, it was created through respectful conversation.”
The Spiritual Care Points of Consensus address basic types of disaster care, and ethical standards of care, among other points. The document tries to set minimum standards for addressing the spiritual needs of those in the midst of disaster, as well as for relief workers.
The guidelines also warn against inappropriate proselytizing or evangelizing in disaster zones, as well as discrimination based on “culture, gender, age, sexual orientation, spiritual/religious practices and disability.”
“Spiritual care providers refrain from manipulation, disrespect or exploitation of those impacted by disaster and trauma (and) respect the freedom from unwanted gifts of religious literature or symbols, evangelistic and sermonizing speech, and/or forced acceptance of specific moral values and traditions,” the guidelines say.