The study, which is 43 pages, is titled:At the Crossroads of Long-Term Recovery: Joplin, Missouri Six Months after the May 22, 2011 Tornado. The authors are David M. Abramson and Derrin Culp, at the National Center for Disaster Preparedness, Earth Institute l Columbia University, New York. (Release date 15 September 2013). Part of the abstract follows:

* * *  the tornado displaced one third of the city’s population. They observed a favorable foundation for recovery, including limited physical damage to critical infrastructure or the city government’s fiscal base, minimal political conflict over the direction and control of recovery, a history of prior collaborative efforts across diverse sectors, and a highly involved and visible governor. The study documents several quick critical decisions that set a positive recovery trajectory and a FEMA-supported long-term recovery planning process. It notes that six months after the tornado, Joplin’s leadership faced hard decisions about how to apply federal and state redevelopment support and private philanthropic donations, deal with long-term community mental health issues, maintain a high level of citizen involvement, and sustain the cooperative atmosphere that had defined the first six months of recovery.

Thanks to Laurie Johnson for sending me the link.  In her cover note Laure commented:

Amongst the valuable information that they distilled from their extensive interview efforts, is an acknowledgment that recovery planning (and the formation of the Citizens Advisory Recovery Team (“CART”) within two weeks of the tornado, and which received technical, logistical and operational support from FEMA) is one of four critical actions and accomplishments that they conclude oriented Joplin towards a positive recovery trajectory.

It’s also a nice read.

I have not read it all fully, but I would like to highlight it as a useful model of a recovery case study. Recently, I have been discussing what constitutes a case study with several writers of government guidance and I recommend this example.