Gaps in Disaster Prep for People with Disabilities

FROM THE NRCA CAPITOL INSIDER--
The National Commission on Children and Disasters, appointed by the President in 2007, approved a report to the President and Congress that highlights on-going gaps in disaster preparedness for children since Hurricane Katrina five years ago. Although the report focuses on children, many of the identified gaps and over 100 recommendations pertain to individuals with disabilities as well. For example, the Commission found poor coordination among federal, state, and local programs and lack of preparedness in the private health care system.

The report calls for establishing regional Children's Disaster Coordinators (Regional Disability Coordinator job announcements were recently posted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency); giving priority to the needs of families with children who have disabilities in housing assistance; specifically addressing the evacuation and transportation needs of children with disabilities in congregate care settings, and creating a national data system for keeping track of evacuated children so that they can be reunited with their families.

The final report will be available in early October. For the executive summary of the report, see:
www.childrenanddisasters.acf.hhs.gov