Colleagues,

Thanks for your continued efforts and patience as this program continues to develop. Over the last few weeks, many lessons have been learned by all of us. Here are just a few of those lessons:

1. When praying for patience, be prepared to experience events that test our ability to practice the blessing of patience. We have all been tested by the processes related to our needed coordination efforts; fiscal responsibilities and  accounting; attempting to deliver high quality disaster case management services to those who might otherwise not wish to receive those services; and the sometimes overwhelming anxiety produced by disaster events. These are true tests for even the most patient among us.

2. When seeking to change the way things are/have been done, be prepared and ready to handle resistance. Systems (whether they be family, governmental, financial, political, or even physiological) have a natural tendency toward balance, or homeostasis. Any change, or push for change in a system of any type, creates an imbalance in the system, which in turn triggers a response and drive toward correcting the imbalance in order to once again attain homeostasis. This program, even though it has elements of work that has previously occurred, is fundamentally different in several ways from anything that has existed previously. Our coordination efforts between HUD and FEMA; our funding source being federal (taxpayer) dollars; even the forms which case managers use on a day-to-day basis; all challenge systems that have been in place. This challenge produces resistance in the form of personality conflicts between staff, fear on the part of clients, and accountants scratching their heads in bewilderment! J However all of this, in my opinion, is healthy. When anxiety occurs I know that change is taking place. As long as we are changing systems in a way that gives us the opportunity to HELP people, then we must be ready to deal with resistance in whatever form it may present itself. In the end, our efforts will not have been in vain.

The MCMC leadership and field management staff are continuing to work diligently to educate and help improve systems that are necessary to support you as you work with clients. Again, we thank you for your dedication and commitment to the clients you serve.

Blessings,

Stephen