All health care fields have one thing in common: they exist to serve the needs of the community. Quite often, it takes the combined efforts of several agencies to bring about a needed change or resolve a potentially harmful situation.

In the media piece, you were asked to select 10 individuals to invite to participate in a roundtable discussion to develop an emergency response plan for Riverbend City. From the list of names you selected, identify your top five and explain your reasons for choosing these individuals. Were there any agencies or organizations not on the list of options that you think should have been represented? If so, why do you believe they should have been included? What could you bring from the point of view of your specialization that would make a unique contribution to this discussion?

In formulating your answers, you should consider the perspective of the Whole Community approach, as articulated in the media presentation and the readings.

Assignment Specifications

Your assignment must meet the following criteria:

• Be at least 250 words in length.
• Contain a minimum of two references or citations.
• Follow APA guidelines.

Riverbend City: Interprofessional Collaboration

Introduction

Leadership requires more than expertise. Collaboration between public service agencies and professionals is critical to all disciplines within public service. In this exercise, you will have an opportunity to create a diverse group that can help guide Riverbend City’s emergency planning efforts.

Scenario

According to a recent story in the LA Times, overall losses from man-made and natural disasters in the United States topped $140 billion in 2012. Riverbend City has known its share of disasters and officials have learned the hard way that while planning cannot prevent disasters, it is the best tool for recovering from them. Jenny Cunningham, the Emergency Manager for Riverbend City, has been advocating a Whole Community approach to emergency management and her efforts are being well received by Mayor Bauer, the city council, and others at the local and state levels.

Whole Community is a philosophical approach asks communities to think about how emergency management should be conducted. A Whole Community approach attempts to engage the private and nonprofit sectors, including businesses, faith-based and disability organizations, and the general public, in conjunction with of local, state, and Federal governmental agencies in the process of needs analysis and planning. The goal is to create empowered, prepared, and resilient communities.

You have been tasked with representing your organization in this effort. When you contact Jenny’s office, she responds enthusiastically and asks you “What partnerships do we need to establish in order to develop a better understanding of Riverbend City’s needs?” The conversation concludes with you agreeing to help coordinate a roundtable discussion group that will meet to discuss initial community outreach efforts. Your main task is to suggest 10 people or agencies you think Jenny should invite to participate in the roundtable.

City Councilman

Quincy Reeves

Prior to serving on the city council, Mr. Reeves worked as Communications Director for Birchwood Personnel Services.

Other interests:

• Past Chair of the Lindner Hills PTA.
• Active with neighborhood revitalization programs.
• Member of the Riverbend City Library board.

Deputy City Attorney

Jerry Northrop

As deputy city attorney, Mr. Northrop heads the civil division of the city attorney’s office. This department provides a broad range of legal services to the city’s elected officials and staff, the city’s departments and the city’s independent boards and commissions.

Other interests:

• President of Lindner Hills Neighborhood Association.
• Ward Chair, Republican Party.

Riverbend City Diversity Liaison

Mo Xiong

Mo Xiong, the city’s first diversity liaison, is a first-generation Hmong-American whose parents immigrated to the United States from Laos when she was seven years old.

Other interests:

• Previous chair of Office of Diversity Affairs, Beck University.
• Campaign manager for state senate hopeful Cha Lor.
• Volunteers as a grant writer for a variety of nonprofit organizations.

Riverbend City Director of Public Works

Robin Gianni

Robin Gianni has an MA in Public Administration from Beck University with a concentration in water resource management.

Other interests:

• Treasurer for the Hennsey County Chamber of Commerce.
• Habitat for Humanity volunteer.
• Competitive runner whose most recent race was the Denver Gorilla run, in which all participants wear a full gorilla costume.

RCMC Chief Executive Officer

Eugene Pittman

Prior to accepting his current position with Riverbend City Medical Center, Mr. Pittman was Vice President of the Health Team Corporation, where he was responsible for finance, corporate staff, and administrative functions.

Other interests:

• Serves on the Governor’s Committee on Medical Education.
• Board President, Riverbend City Ronald McDonald House.
• Avid golfer.

Public Health Director of Nursing Services

Maxine Gourley

Prior to becoming director of nursing services for the Hennsey County Department of Public Health, Maxine worked as the quality assurance manager for the Hennsey County Department of Children and Family Services.

Other interests:

• Episcopalian lay minister, licensed as a Eucharistic visitor (provides pastoral visits to those unable to participate in Sunday worship services).
• Member of the Sierra Club, an environmental organization that promotes responsible use of the planet’s resources.

Riverbend City Chief of Police

Glen Edwards

Glen Edwards has been the police chief in Riverbend City for the past four years and has served on the Riverbend City Police Department for the past 16 years. He is married and has three school-aged children.

Other interests:

• Active in community policing initiatives, including DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) and Crime Stoppers.
• Organizer for Special Olympics Polar Bear Plunge.

Riverbend City Fire Chief

Chuck Bicking

Chuck Bicking is the chief of the Riverbend City Fire Department. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Chief Bicking was recently honored for his work in the community for educating the public on life safety issues.

Other interests:

• Scoutmaster, Troop 122.
• Co-chair the annual Toys for Tots drive.

Riverbend City Police

Capt. Joanna Penny

A 22-year veteran of the department, Captain Penny was the first woman to attain that rank with the Riverbend City police department. As captain, she commands patrol operations and oversees the Tact Unit, the Canine Unit, and Community Service operations.

Other interests:

• Board member of Riverbend City Big Brothers/Big Sisters Association.
• Active member of GirlPower, a nonprofit organization that supports women-owned business.

Red Cross Director

Anne Wescott

Anne Westcott has been the Red Cross Director in Riverbend City for nine years. She has a Master’s degree in public health from the University of Minnesota.

Other interests:

• Teaches knitting through the continuing education program of the university.
• Certified master gardener.

Assistant Director of Social Services, Dept. of Health and Human Services

Eric Knight

Eric Knight not only supervises staff, volunteers, and student counselors, but he also has established a solid network of relationships with community partner agencies. His wife is a district manager for Bullseye, a big-box discount retailer.

Other interests:

• Block leader with neighborhood watch association.
• Youth soccer coach.

Superintendent, Riverbend City Public Schools

Bruce Greenberg

Bruce Greenberg has been the superintendent of the Riverbend City Public School District for three years. A former middle school social studies teacher, he earned a PhD in educational leadership at Beck University. He is married and has three daughters.

Other interests:

• Sings with the Riverbend City chorale.
• Has written and published three “hi-lo” books for children.

Elementary School Principal

Linda Paulus

Linda Paulus is the principal at Washington Allston Elementary School. She previously worked as a school counselor in Germany with the Department of Defense dependent school system.

Other interests:

• Member of Delta Kappa Gamma, an honor society for women in education that demonstrate leadership skills.
• Involved in working with police officers participating in the DARE program.

Science Teacher

Tracy Davis

Tracy Davis has been a science teacher at Lindner Hills High School for the past 10 years. She is the coordinator for service education activities for all Riverbend City high school students.

Other interests:

• Faculty advisor for Lindner Hills Ham Radio club.
• President of the Riverbend City Federation of Teachers, the local teacher’s union.

Community Organizer

Kathy Gilchrist

Kathy Gilchrist is a long-time Riverbend City resident who is active on the boards of several community organizations, including the Chamber of Commerce and the Rondo Community Library. She currently chairs the Riverbend City Housing Authority and is on the Executive Council of the Riverbend City Meals on Wheels.

Other interests:

• Editor of her church newsletter.
• Serves on the Metropolitan Airport Commission, representing district 5.

Vice President Riverbend Senior Services

Randy Hogan

Randy Hogan, the Vice President of Riverbend Senior Services, has been involved with senior issues and services for most of his career. Previously he served as the director of a neighborhood Meals on Wheels organization. Randy lives in the suburb of Eden Grove with his wife of 32 years. He spends his free time golfing, fishing, and playing with his grandchildren.

Other interests:

• Owns two therapy dogs that regularly visit residents of the Maplewood Nursing Home.
• Has organized disaster relief drives for Haiti at his church.
• Avid golfer.

Volunteer Coordinator, Riverbend Senior Services

Wendy Adler

Wendy Adler is the Volunteer Coordinator for Riverbend Senior Services. Wendy is married and has a five-year-old daughter and a three-year-old son.

Other interests:

• Member of the Tonka Park Parent Teacher Student Association.
• Teaches preschoolers at her synagogue’s Sunday school.

Catholic Priest and Community Activist

Father Junot Rivera

Father Junot Rivera—who is better known as “Father Yuni”—grew up in Riverbend City. After attending Beck University and the Holy Trinity Seminary, he became a priest at San Lorenzo Catholic Church.

Other interests:

• On the boards of Riverbend Youthworks and Fuerza Y Unidad.
• Fluent in Spanish.
• Member of the Interfaith Action council.

Tribal Councilman

Roger Chaska

Roger Chaska has been a tribal councilman for the Mahnomen Indian Reservation for the past five years. He also manages a bait shop and lives on the reservation with his wife and four children.

Other interests:

• Fishing, hunting and camping.
• Member of the National Society for American Indian Elderly.

Somali Community Leader / Small Businessman

Abdi Arush

Abdi Arush owns the Africa Mall, a small neighborhood grocery story. A devout Muslim, Abdi is a leader in the local Somali community.

Other interests:

• Teaches religious education classes at his mosque.
• Webmaster for the Riverbend City Islamic Center.

Hmong Community Leader / Small Businessman

Khai Vang

Khai Vang owns a small but popular restaurant in the Shoals neighborhood. Khai and his wife converted to Christianity and try to embrace the American Dream while honoring their Hmong heritage.

Other interests:

• Member of the Riverbend City Chamber of Commerce.
• Coaches youth soccer.
• Member of the Riverbend City Workforce Council.

Resident and Community Activist

Amira Yusuf

Amira Yusuf was widowed when her husband and two of her three children were killed in the Somali civil war. Amira discovered an aptitude for language and learned English quickly. She has put her skills to use as an advocate for other Somali women in the community of Riverbend City.

Other interests:

• Tutors adults and teens in the Somali community.
• Worked with political action groups to register eligible voters in her community.
• Member of the Riverbend Interfaith Alliance.

Day Care Center Director

Alece Rockwell

Alece Rockwell directs the day care center for young parents at Ruby Lake High School. She has a BA in Early Childhood Education from Beck University.

Other interests:

• Volunteers with RiverBounty, a community foodshelf.
• Blogs about parenting and family issues.
• Teaches Kindersong, a music and movement program for parents and infants on weekends.

Construction, Small Businessman

Bill Fletcher

Bill Fletcher is a construction manager for the Department of Public Works in Riverbend City. A lifelong resident of Riverbend City, Bill has worked in construction for 25 years.

Other interests:

• Member of the Riverbend City Business Association.
• American Legion Riverbend City Post 643, 2nd Vice Commander.
• Current member of the Hennsey County Planning Commission.

Additional Participants

Were there agencies, professions, or types of people you wanted to include but were not able to because they were not represented in this exercise? If so, you can add up to five such additional representatives now. Obviously, you won’t have names or pictures, but include the job title or type of individual and a brief description of why the roundtable would be better if this sort of person could be included.

References

• Pearce, M. (2012, December 24). 2012 another bad year for U.S. disasters, and it may get worse. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-us-billion-dollar-disasters-20121224,0,7895195.story.

Credits

Subject Matter Expert:

Joyce Johnson

Interactive Designer:

Jay Austin, Chris Schons

Interactive Developer:

Peter Hentges

Instructional Designer:

Rochelle Williams

Media Instructional Designer:

Felicity Pearson

Project Manager:

Laura Rosene