Resilience and Resourcefulness: How Crisis Centers in Louisiana Adapted Services during COVID-19

Abstract Purpose This article examines how crisis centers in Louisiana, USA, adapted their direct care services during COVID-19 to continue helping survivors affected by violence. Organizational resilience theory serves as the project’s main theoretical framework. As such, we report on how community- and university-based crisis centers drew on principles of resilience and resourcefulness to adapt their direct care services (e.g., crafting normalcy, putting alternative logics to work) during this difficult time. Method We draw on 21 in-depth interviews with upper-level administrators from organizations working in violence against women conducted during the summer of 2020. The interview transcripts yielded 184 single-spaced pages of data that we analyzed using an inductive approach to qualitative data analysis. Results Findings show that both community- and university-based centers were able to transition counseling and case management to telehealth services either through telephone or videoconferencing. However, three types of direct care services could not be fully transitioned to virtual formats: Shelters, legal services, and medical support. These areas of care often experienced temporary service interruptions until centers developed creative face-to-face interactions to help mitigate in-person contact. Conclusions This study contributes to current understandings of how crisis centers can apply organizational resilience principles during public health crises to adapt and thrive in the face of adversity. By reporting on specific resilience strategies used by Louisiana centers we provide insights that will help social service providers and healthcare professionals be better prepared for future public health crises.