Dear Mr. Canther,

I wish to thank-you for the opportunity to become involved with ACTS World Relief during the deployment in Bridge City, Texas, for the aftermath of Hurricane Ike. As you may recall, myself and a Physician Assistant comprised the Special Services Response Team. We had the opportunity to provide home- and clinic-based medical and supportive follow-up for individuals that your team of volunteers identified as being in need of services. By taking the time to listen and pay close attention to those in the community, your team identified numerous individuals who had special needs. These needs otherwise may have been overlooked and/or unmet.

This medical and emotional support team is a new facet of ACTS, and I feel honored to take a leadership role in developing and defining the mental health component of this aspect of community outreach. Over the coming months, I plan on assisting ACTS with instructional information for the youth volunteers regarding the use of this Special Services team when deployed, as well as developing a volunteer manual and guidelines for professional mental health volunteers, under the guidance of your organization. Furthermore, I would be happy to assist in developing basic training modules in respect to the emotional components a disaster volunteer may experience before, during and after a deployment.

Again, thank-you very much for the opportunity to participate with ACTS. The ACTS volunteers’ willingness to work hard to serve others – all while keeping a smile on their faces—is an inspiration to me, as well as the communities you serve.

Jeanne M. LeBlanc, Ph.D., ABPP, R. Psych.
Diplomate Rehabilitation Psychology
Practice in Clinical Neuropsychology and Rehabilitation
Registered Psychologist, British Columbia
Licensed Psychologist, California (PSY 17925)