Disaster Relief and Social Work: Lesson from 921 Earthquake Social Service in Taipei County

The author examines the social workers worked with victims of the September 21, 1999 earthquake disaster in Taiwan. The social and psychological relief program for earthquake victims in Taipei County are discussed with an emphasis on family, community and school outreach. Interviews with social workers, victims and families revealed that postdisaster crisis-response patterns differed with respect to that injury or death of family members, financial and home losses, and governmental reconstructing performances affected responses to the crisis. In addition, social workers have important and unique contributions to make to disaster relief through their expertise in crisis intervention and promoting change in micro and macro systems. Also discussed are the process of developing an organizational framework and its content that meets disaster demands, and the implications for social work practice in dealing with a disaster crisis.