Responding to a Significant Claim

Having a claim of abuse is every youth organization’s worst nightmare. Fortunately, there are things you can do now to be better prepared to deal with such a claim. By planning ahead, you and your team will be better able to guide your organization through the process and help it heal from tragedy.

– Put together your team. Start thinking through whom you will need to help you respond to a significant event. I described in an earlier article some of the skill sets that you will need to look for; however, every organization is different and will need different skill sets. Think through as many scenarios as you can to figure out what you will need to do and who in your organization or volunteer community can do it.

– Research your historic insurance policies. In many (if not most) states, legislatures are extending the statute of limitations or getting rid of them entirely. You may be at risk for a lawsuit from decades ago. The time to find your insurance coverage is now, before you have a deadline for answering a lawsuit. If you can’t locate all your past policies, there are “insurance archeology” companies that specialize in finding them. Your current insurance company may have partnered with one of those groups, allowing you to access the services at a reduced cost. Check with your insurer or search the Web for the term.

– Consider drafting shells for communications to clients/parents, staff, and the public. You will not have much of the information that you need for an actual event, but you can create a shell with blanks to fill in. For example, you can start, “We have learned about an allegation that ________________. We take these concerns seriously and are reaching out to everyone involved. We will continue to cooperate with [agency or law enforcement or official investigations]. We cannot comment any further about an ongoing investigation.” Having that form already started will be much better than starting with a blank computer screen.

Of course, if you can afford a public relations person, let that person take lead on the statements. Avoid letting a lawyer draft these statements, because we don’t know much about PR, but definitely let us review it for legal landmines.

– Develop tabletop exercises for your response team. Ask them to come up with likely scenarios and walk through all of them. These exercises are the best way for your organization to build muscle memory without having to go through an actual crisis. Be certain that everyone knows their role and responsibilities in responding. Use our suggested timeline (attached here) for ideas of what you can do when. Repeat this training as often as necessary to keep your team’s experience fresh and help them remember all the tasks. We recommend at least yearly training and then smaller chunks more frequently when possible.

Once a claim hits, then you’re on an extremely fast track. The more you can do now to prepare, the better you’ll be able to keep up with events.

For more ideas and suggestions on responding to a significant incident, see our online courses at www.YSOAcademy.com