An essential component of school emergency response is the reunification of students with their parents or primary caregiver after an emergency has taken place. A well organized and timely reunification process is critical to reducing emergency-based trauma in children and is often the only mental health crisis intervention needed following an emergency. The sooner children are reunited with caregivers, the less likely they are to exhibit traumatic stress.
As schools across Iowa develop and exercise reunification plans, they have discovered that most lack the resources to effectively and efficiently complete the associated tasks. This is especially true in instances involving significant trauma such as active shooter, weather, chemical and other emergencies. In these types of events, research indicates that children are best left under the supervision of their teacher, who they trust and seek for safety. This leaves very limited school and district staff available for carrying out the reunification plan. This also requires school personnel directly impacted by the emergency to carry out complex reunification tasks that they may not be able to emotionally manage.
Heartland AEA is in a unique position to assist schools in Jasper County (Baxter, Colfax-Mingo, Lynnville-Sully, Newton and PCM) and schools in Polk County (Bondurant-Farrar, Des Moines, Johnston, North Polk, Saydel, Southeast Polk, Urbandale, West Des Moines) by establishing a response team to reunify children with caregivers in an emergency. Should an emergency requiring reunification of children occur, Heartland AEA staff would deploy to the identified reunification site and assure the school that families are quickly and accurately reunified.
A variety of individual skills sets are needed to fill the roles and responsibilities associated with the reunification team:
- Logistics staff is needed to see that the necessary equipment, signage and supplies are delivered and set up at a reunification site should the team be requested for deployment.
- Administrative staff must carry out accurate record collection and verification of identification to assure students are safely reunified with the proper caregiver.
- Mental health services and support staff is needed to assure that both children and adults receive assistance in a supportive and empathetic environment while they await reunification.
- Security staff is needed to assist law enforcement by identifying potential areas of concern and assuring the safety of everyone seeking reunification services.
Will You Serve on a Reunification Response Team?
At this time, regional reunification response plans are being organized in the counties of Jasper and Polk. If you have the desire to join a reunification team, complete this Google form. Once volunteers are identified, we will be scheduling reunification exercise(s) to train and practice the Reunification Response process. All Agency staff in any role are invited to volunteer.
**If you previously indicated your interest in serving on a response team, please sign up again. This call for volunteers will be conducted on an annual basis.
An essential component of school emergency response is the reunification of students with their parents or primary caregiver after an emergency has taken place. A well organized and timely reunification process is critical to reducing emergency-based trauma in children and is often the only mental health crisis intervention needed following an emergency. The sooner children are reunited with caregivers, the less likely they are to exhibit traumatic stress. 
Heartland AEA is pleased to announce it will be offering the Youth Mental Health First Aid training course in a new blended format. Heartland AEA staff will be able to experience this course in its new format on Jan. 28, 2021, from 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. The course will be limited to 20 participants and includes a two-hour online portion and a four-hour in-person portion. 
