Accessibility statement, including a list of pages with links for screen reader users
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Accessibility statement, including a list of pages with links for screen reader users |
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National
Council on Disability |
SNAKE Report
7-14-2006
9-21-2005
9-17-2005
9-7-2005The National Council on Disability (NCD) is an independent federal agency making recommendations to the President and Congress to enhance the quality of life for all Americans with disabilities and their families. NCD is composed of 15 members appointed by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. In its 1986 report Toward Independence, NCD first proposed that Congress should enact a civil rights law for people with disabilities. In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law.
NCD's overall purpose is to promote policies, programs, practices, and procedures that guarantee equal opportunity for all individuals with disabilities, regardless of the nature or severity of the disability; and to empower individuals with disabilities to achieve economic self-sufficiency, independent living, and inclusion and integration into all aspects of society.
Report on Special Needs Assessment for Katrina Evacuees Project SNAKE Report (PDF)
Nat. Council on Disability Calls for Sweeping Changes for People w/ Psychiatric Disabilities in Emergency Evacuations
NEWS RELEASE NCD #06514 July 14, 2006
Contact: Mark S. Quigley 202-272-2004 202-272-2074 TTY
WASHINGTON, DC - The National Council on Disability (NCD) released The Needs of People with Psychiatric Disabilities During and After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: Position Paper and Recommendations (www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2006/peopleneeds.htm), calling on federal, state, and local governments to enact sweeping changes.
According to NCD chairperson Lex Frieden, The destructive forces of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in fall 2005 wreaked an emotional as well as a physical toll on residents of the Gulf Coast region. Millions of Americans from across the country reached out to hurricane survivors, opening their homes and their hearts. Government employees at local, state and federal levels worked long and hard to help evacuate and rescue people in the Gulf Coast. Many of these people are still in the Gulf Coast helping to rebuild communities. In the months since the hurricanes devastated the Gulf Coast, media coverage of the hurricane survivors has waned. However, for hurricane survivors with psychiatric disabilities, the hurricanes destruction resulted in trauma that didnt last 24 hours, then go away. ...It goes on and on. Some of these challenges were unavoidable. As one government official said, No one ever planned for what happens when your social service infrastructure is completely wiped out. Nonetheless, many of the problems could have been avoided with proper planning. As NCD predicted in its April 2005 report, Saving Lives: Including People with Disabilities in Disaster Planning, [i]f planning does not embrace the value that everyone should survive, they will not. As a result of its research, NCD found that much pre-Katrina disaster planning did not contemplate the needs of people with psychiatric disabilities, and as a result, many people died or unnecessarily suffered severely traumatic experiences, Frieden concluded. This paper includes the following major findings and recommendations, as well as various specific recommendations for emergency management officials and policymakers at the local, state and federal levels.
Major Findings:
* In violation of federal policy and law, people with psychiatric disabilities were discriminated against during evacuation, rescue, and relief phases
* Mismanaged evacuations resulted in the loss, mistreatment, and inappropriate institutionalization of people with psychiatric disabilities
* People with psychiatric disabilities were not included in disaster planning or relief and recovery efforts
* Disaster management efforts often failed because no individual or office had responsibility, accountability, and authority for disability related issues
* Disaster plans were shortsighted and relief services were terminated prematurely
Major Recommendations
Nondiscrimination in the Administration of Emergency Services The federal National Response Plan and state and local emergency plans should require that services and shelters be accessible to people with disabilities, including people with psychiatric disabilities (who live independently or in congregate living situations such as hospitals, group homes, or assisted living), in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. State plans should be reviewed by independent disability experts familiar with that state.
Plans for the Evacuation of People with Psychiatric Disabilities
Evacuation planners should have a plan that (a) tracks the transfer of residents of group homes and psychiatric facilities; (b) maintains contact between people wit psychiatric disabilities and their family members and caretakers; (c) helps facilitate the return of evacuees to their homes; (d) ensures that sites that receive evacuees are equipped to meet the needs of people with psychiatric disabilities; and (e) prevents the inappropriate institutionalization of evacuees with psychiatric disabilities
. Inclusion of People with Psychiatric Disabilities in Emergency Planning
People with psychiatric disabilities must be involved at every stage of disaster and evacuation planning and with the administration of relief and recovery efforts. Communities should develop interagency, multi-level disaster planning coalitions that include people with disabilities, similar to the coalition developed in Houston.
Person or Office Responsible for Disability Issues During Disasters
A single person or office must be responsible, accountable and able to make decisions related to disability issues. This person or office would be responsible for training first responders and organizing disability-specific evacuation, relief and recovery efforts. This person or office would also serve as a communication link between people with disabilities and the respective local, state or federal government.
Disaster Relief Should Continue for at least Two Years After the Disaster
Relief and recovery efforts should continue for at least two years from the date of the disaster, including Medicaid waivers, HUD housing waivers, and FEMA housing for people with disabilities. Disasters often result in long-term psychiatric consequences for people, and in some cases, the traumatic impact of the disaster does not manifest itself until many months or years later. Additionally, the social service infrastructure in some locations was utterly wiped out. Emergency planners should ensure treatment continuity by planning for relief services to be available for at least two years after the disaster. Many of these findings and recommendations align with NCDs 2005 report, Saving Lives: Including People with Disabilities in Disaster Planning, available on the Web at www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2005/saving_lives.htm.
NCD encourages policymakers, emergency planners and people with disabilities to carefully review that report. NCD stands ready to provide guidance to those who are ready to make their emergency plans and services more accessible to people with disabilities. As emergency managers and policymakers create plans that seek to ensure that all people, regardless of disability, survive catastrophes such as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, we will incorporate the principles of inclusion and nondiscrimination into our national consciousness.
For more information, please contact Mark S. Quigley at 202-272-2004 or 202-272-2074 TTY.Request for Information about the Experiences of People with Disabilities Affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
The National Council on Disability (NCD) (www.ncd.gov), an independent federal agency making recommendations to the President and Congress on issues affecting the 54 million Americans with disabilities, is gathering information on how Hurricanes Katrina and Rita affected people with disabilities and their relatives, friends, and neighbors, and how they have affected organizations that have been providing assistance to people with disabilities. Please take a few moments to share your experiences and consider the questions at the end of this document as guidance for your response.
NCD called for a federal disability response and recovery plan (http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/news/2005/r05-496.htm), and published two briefs on Hurricane Katrina affected areas. The first was released on September 2, 2005 (http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2005/katrina2.htm), the second on September 7, 2005 (http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2005/katrina.htm). Issues raised include the implications of how Hurricane Katrina has affected people with disabilities, where help can be sought, the response of the government, the additional help or assistance that is currently needed, the subsequent actions that must be undertaken, and the response made by the disability community to the hurricane.
In addition, NCD has published an April 15, 2005 report entitled Saving Lives: Including People with Disabilities in Emergency Preparedness (http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2005/saving_lives.htm). This report outlines emergency preparedness, disaster relief, and homeland security programs, so that the Federal Government can plan, prepare, and act to include people with disabilities in all facets of emergency planning and execution.
Hurricane Katrina has brought focus on the need to document the experiences of people with disabilities from a broad array of diverse cultures and economic status as well as those experiences of disability oriented organizations involved in responding to the resulting disaster. Your experiences will help NCD better target its guidance to policymakers in assisting the tens of thousands of people with disabilities affected in the Gulf Coast region.
The following questions can be used as guidance in your response to NCD's request for information. Please send your information to NCD in one of three ways: email (info@ncd.gov), U.S. mail (National Council on Disability, 1331 F Street NW, Suite 850, Washington, DC 20004) or fax (202-272-2022) by October 12, 2005. Please indicate whether you would like to make your response anonymous.
1. How were people with disabilities provided with information about the severity of the emergency caused by the hurricanes, how to prepare for it, and how to evacuate?
2. Was individual assistance (such as personal attendants, sign language interpreters, readers, and service animals) available to people with disabilities during and after the emergency?
3. What assistive devices (such as wheelchairs, walkers, canes, crutches, speech enabled or Braille notetakers, pagers, closed captioning, TTYs, hearing aids, and batteries) were people with disabilities able to keep with them during or after the hurricane? What assistive devices were they not able to keep? How were these assistive devices replaced?
4. What accessible temporary housing or shelter was offered to people with disabilities?
5. What accessible transportation was provided to people with disabilities when evacuating the hurricanes, receiving food and water, and reaching temporary shelters or housing? Were people who use assistive devices able to keep them during such transport?
6. What medical and mental health treatment, such as emergency care, counseling or medication, was offered to people with disabilities? What types of accessibility problems arose?
7. What schools offered accommodations to students with disabilities affected or dislocated as a result of the hurricanes?
8. What types of temporary or permanent employment opportunities were offered to people with disabilities?
9. What government services (such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, subsidized housing, food vouchers, or any other government assistance) were, and continue to be, made available to people with disabilities?
10. Describe the immediate, short-term, and long-term aid provided by private, civic, faith-based, advocacy organizations or other groups to people with disabilities.
Mark S. Quigley
Director of Communications
National Council on Disability
1331 F Street, NW, Suite 850
Washington, DC 20004
202-272-2008Just as you are, the National Council on Disability (NCD) is concerned about disaster relief, recovery, and reconstruction efforts in the Gulf Coast areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. A disproportionate number of the Hurricane Katrina evacuees and survivors are people with disabilities whose needs for basic necessities are compounded by chronic health conditions and functional impairments. Katrina has caused tens of thousands people with disabilities to be evacuated or displaced by Katrina. People with disabilities affected by Katrina may not ever be able to return to their communities-of-origin.
People with disabilities have had to leave behind their homes, circles of support, service networks, durable medical equipment, service animals, and assistive technologies. Many have spent years putting their networks of supports services in place.
Many evacuees and displaced individuals with disabilities will need to relocate several times from region-to-region and state-to-state over the coming months. As a consequence, they will not be able to easily recreate the life-sustaining service/support networks they need to survive each day. For these reasons, NCD believes there is a dire need for urgent action by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to assist people with disabilities affected by Hurricane Katrina. NCD offers you and your agency the following recommendations:
For the next several months:
Establish a Point Person on Disability who reports directly to the Secretary and who interacts directly with the DHS senior leadership team and vested with the responsibility, authority, and resources for providing overall day-to-day leadership, guidance and coordination for emergency preparedness, disaster relief and recovery operations of the federal government on behalf of Americans with disabilities. The Point Person should be a qualified senior-level person, and should be in regular contact with other members of the DHS senior staff as well as the members of the Interagency Coordinating Council on Emergency Preparedness for People with Disabilities, state and local authorities, and citizens, as necessary.Develop and then implement a coordinated Federal Disability Recovery Plan for Hurricane Katrina that focuses particularly on people with disabilities.
Establish a Hurricane Katrina Disability Access Advisory Group, made up of qualified people with disabilities and others with disability-specific disaster experience, who meet regularly with senior officials to help craft the Katrina-recovery plan, share real time information from the Gulf Coast region, as well as to discuss events and challenges and progress.Use all available on the ground personnel available to provide funds and target resources that specifically meet the identified and critical needs of Katrina survivors with disabilities, including:
- assisting with the restoration of the organizations that serve them;
- identifying accessible temporary and permanent housing and addressing the specific requests being made by leaders in the devastated areas and those in the areas that people with disabilities are being evacuated to;
- ensuring the effective coordination with social services, health services, education services, and other human service providers
and agencies throughout the recovery and restoration process;
- ensuring the use of accessible communications technology for people with disabilities during the regions recovery from this disaster to help assess damage, collect information, and deploy supplies; and
- ensuring that the response to and the recovery from Hurricane Katrina complies with Federal law requiring nondiscrimination and accessibility, including the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act.For the next several years: Recovery, rebuilding and resettlement operations must have the appropriate resources, medical equipment, supplies, and training to address the needs of people with disabilities. Many individuals with disabilities will require accessible housing, appropriate health services, and assistive technologies. At the very outset and during all its phases, these operations should include in an integral way people with disabilities with experience and expertise on these matters.
Recovery, rebuilding, and resettlement personnel must be educated and trained in the field, on how to support the independence and dignity of persons with disabilities in the months and years following HurricaneKatrina. People with disabilities should be included in the development of the response personnel, and should be supported by the appropriate accommodations. A universal design approach should be followed to meet the needs of people with disabilities affected by recovery, rebuilding, and resettlement efforts in the Gulf Coast region affected by Katrina. The Federal Government should mandate universal design and full accessibility for all new construction in the region affected by Hurricane Katrina.
Disability organizations must be joined with all Hurricane Katrina recovery, rebuilding, and resettlement government (and non-government) operations and be relied upon for ongoing advice, guidance, and leadership.
NCD is deeply concerned for all of the citizens who are now homeless as a result of Hurricane Katrina devastation, many of whom have disabilities and who are older Americans who experience a high rate of disabling conditions. NCD continues to offer our support and assistance to all branches of government in their ongoing work to help people rebuild their lives.Thank you for your attention to this matter. We appreciate your personal commitment to insuring the recovery of all those affected by this
catastrophic disaster, including those with disabilities.Sincerely,
Lex Frieden
Chairperson
National Council on Disability
National Council on Disability on Hurricane Katrina Affected Areas September 7, 2005
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, people with disabilities have unique needs that must be surveyed and responded to immediately. In order to evacuate the large number of survivors from the New Orleans area, as well as from other areas of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, people with disabilities were often forced to abandon their wheelchairs, walkers and other medical equipment. People who are blind, who may no longer have a service animal or cane to help them navigate, will require assistance in navigating a new environmental landscape. People who are deaf or hard of hearing will need visual access to emergency information. People in need of personal assistance services may now no longer have access to such services both as the result of separation from attendants during the evacuation process or due to not knowing how to obtain and fund the cost of qualified individuals in the locations where they now find themselves and, consequently, nursing home care in an institutional setting is often seen as the only remaining viable alternative to living in shelters. People with mental health needs, whose access to treatment and medications may have been disrupted, are in critical need of treatment and/or medication. In addition, mental illness symptoms are often exacerbated in times of crisis, and many individuals, even those not directly affected by the hurricane, may need assistance in identifying and accessing available resources. The Federal Government's Response The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has set up a registration process for people with disabilities and chronic health care needs, and
every hurricane survivor with a disability must register to be able to receive the full range of federal disaster relief assistance. See https://disasterhelp.gov/portal/jhtml/index.jhtml or call 800-621-FEMA or 800-462-9029 or TDD/TTY 800-462-7585.
The Food and Nutrition Service, run by the US Department of Agriculture, has taken several actions to expedite and facilitate the Food Stamp enrollment and receipt for evacuees of Hurricane Katrina in their destination states, as identified on the webpage found at www.fns.usda.gov/fns/. This site's "Newsroom" section provides the latest efforts to date.
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has set up a waiver between all the states housing hurricane survivors who were already receiving Medicaid to have their Medicaid accepted in their current location. HHS has also set up an expedited process for Medicaid eligibility for those who may not be eligible due to their hurricane related situation. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are
also offering the following relief immediately:
* Health care providers that furnish medical services in good faith, but who cannot comply with normal program requirements because of Hurricane Katrina, will be paid for services provided and will be exempt
from sanctions for noncompliance, unless it is discovered that fraud or abuse occurred.
* Crisis services provided to Medicare and Medicaid patients who have been transferred to facilities not certified to participate in the programs will be paid.
* Programs will reimburse facilities for providing dialysis to patients with kidney failure in alternative settings.
* Medicare contractors may pay the costs of ambulance transfers of patients being evacuated from one health care facility to another.
* Normal prior authorization and out-of-network requirements will also be waived for enrollees of Medicare, Medicaid or SCHIP managed care plans.
* Normal licensing requirements for doctors, nurses and other health care professionals who cross state lines to provide emergency care in stricken areas will be waived as long as the provider is licensed in their home state.
* Certain HIPAA privacy requirements will be waived so that health care providers can talk to family members about a patient's condition even if that patient is unable to grant that permission to the provider.
* Hospitals and other facilities can be flexible in billing for beds that have been dedicated to other uses, for example, if a psychiatric unit bed is used for an acute care patient admitted during the crisis.
* Hospital emergency rooms will not be held liable under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) for transferring patients to other facilities for assessment, if the original facility is in the area where a public health emergency has been declared. More information about CMS emergency relief activities, including a detailed explanation of billing and payment policy revisions, and phone numbers for the state medical assistance offices can be found at www.cms.hhs.gov. Frequently asked questions and their answers on the site will be updated daily by 2pm. In addition, members of the Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC) on Emergency Preparedness and Individuals with Disabilities, a federal interagency group led by the Department of Homeland Security, participated in a conference call with consumer organizations to identify the most immediate needs of hurricane victims with disabilities, and have fielded comments and inquiries about surfacing problems.
More Needs to Be Done Immediately
However, more needs to be done to effectuate a coordinated Federal Disability Recovery Plan for Hurricane Katrina. In declaring a public health emergency, HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt identified as priorities for the survivors of Hurricane Katrina to include health care, housing assistance, childcare and education. While NCD recognizes that urgent needs and the necessary responses are continuing to emerge in the days after the disaster, it would like to offer the following recommendations in support of the Bush Administration's assistance to those affected by
the disaster:
* NCD recommends that President Bush designate a high-level official within Department of Homeland Security/FEMA to resolve issues around disability access or related issues.
* NCD recommends that FEMA coordinate with HHS' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which is equipped to train mental health workers and other human services providers who assist survivors following a disaster. http://www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/publications/allpubs/ADM90-537/Default.asp. The SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center was established to provide assistance to jurisdictions planning for or facing an emergency event. SAMSHA should also continue to work with mental health providers and consumers to develop and implement a plan for providing or continuing services.
* Many organizations and individuals have stepped up to provide donated equipment. For example, several Centers for Independent Living (CILs) are in the process of obtaining a substantial amount of durable medical equipment (DME). FEMA and the agencies working with people with disabilities need to know about these DME resources that have been obtained and about other disability-specific resources and services that will most definitely benefit incoming people with disabilities. NCD urges FEMA to assist with immediate shipment of donated equipment.
* NCD urges the Federal Communications Commission to work with agencies to designate Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS) personnel, Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) personnel, and captioners as essential personnel to ensure that they can travel to and from their designated facilities to provide continuity of services for persons with hearing and speech disabilities. Without trained personnel to provide these intermediate services, individuals with hearing or speech disabilities will be denied their rights to accessible communications and will not have access to public alert and warning information during
and after an emergency.
* NCD recommends that FEMA coordinate with HHS to ensure that comprehensive medical approaches are used to address the health care and medical needs of individuals with disabilities across the lifespan of the Hurricane Katrina disaster.
* NCD urges the Department of Transportation to coordinate with state and local governments to provide expedited eligibility to vocational rehabilitation services, paratransit services and specialized telecommunication assistance programs.
* A multi-agency, cross-disability proposal for disability specific funds should be developed to support on-going activities in the Gulf region.
* Shelters and facilities must be accessible to people with disabilities and to people who have expertise in providing services to people with disabilities. NCD recommends that the Justice Department issue a statement on the legal requirements for accessible shelters and
facilities. NCD recommends that DHS issue a statement and operational guidance encouraging accessibility.
* NCD recommends that the Department of Education (DoEd) coordinate with state and local school districts to ensure that students with disabilities are included in DoEd's plans to work with states and local communities to welcome students with disabilities and get them enrolled into schools as quickly as possible. NCD urges the use of " emergency" assessment procedures by qualified school professionals to provide a record of general functioning for temporary provision of special education and related services. Plans for regular evaluation need to be established within a reasonable timeframe after enrollment by state and local school districts to avoid over identification of children from diverse racial and cultural backgrounds as children with disabilities. Counseling and other mental health services need to be made available to all evacuated children and families through schools and collaboration with health departments.
* FEMA/CMS/HHS should immediately determine the location and status of residents of long-term care facilities, including nursing home and group home populations, and assess and respond to their immediate needs to ensure that they are receiving the necessary range of services and supports. NCD also recommends that CMS consider the impact of theimplementation of Medicare Part D.
* HHS and HUD have each established toll free hotlines. HUD has established a single toll-free number (1-888-297-8685) to help disaster victims with all housing concerns. Assistance is available from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., CST, seven days a week. HHS has established a crisis hotline for people in crisis in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. By dialing 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255), callers will be connected to a network of local crisis centers across the country that are committed to crisis counseling. Callers to the hotline will receive counseling from trained staff at the closest certified crisis center in the network. However, it is strongly recommended that these hotlines be made accessible to deaf and hard of hearing consumers immediately by also establishing a TTY/TDD telephone number. NCD also recommends that HUD consider housing vouchers and other low income housing be set aside for people with disabilities, and provide help in locating accessible housing.
* The Secretary of Veterans Affairs to request VA hospitals across the country to assist in providing outdated or unneeded wheelchairs and other useful durable medical equipment, currently in VA storerooms, to the relief effort. The VA should also coordinate with the network of veteran's homes and other veterans' organizations, like VFW and American Legion chapters, whose members could provide donations to, or assist with, equipment drives.
Subsequent Follow-Up Action
NCD's April 15, 2005 report Saving Lives: Including People with Disabilities in Emergency Planning, (http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2005/saving_lives.htm) provides an overview of steps the Federal Government should take to build a solid and resilient infrastructure that will enable the government to include the diverse populations of people with disabilities in emergency preparedness, disaster relief, and homeland security programs. This infrastructure would incorporate access to technology, physical plants, programs, and communications. It also would include procurement and emergency programs and services.
* Department of Homeland Security should establish a Hurricane Katrina Disability Access Advisory Group, made up of qualified people with disabilities and others with disability-specific disaster experience, who meet regularly with senior officials to: share real time information from the Gulf Coast region, as well as to discuss events and challenges and progress.
* Federal Government information web sites like DisabilityInfo.gov should have ongoing portals designated specifically for Hurricane Katrina disaster relief efforts, and these portals should be accessible, accurate, timely, and updated regularly. To the greatest extent possible, these sites should incorporate state and local information that is relevant.
* The DHS Directorate of Emergency Preparedness and Response should integrate information on people with disabilities into Katrina-specific preparedness materials. It also should inform readers and information users on how to get access to more customized and regionally relevant materials.
* The DHS Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties should regularly issue guidance for state and local emergency planning departments to reinforce their legal obligation to comply with ADA and
Section 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act in planning for, operating, and managing programs and services such as Citizen Corps, shelters, and other Katrina disaster assistance and relief services.
* The FCC should develop stronger enforcement mechanisms to ensure that video programming distributors, including broadcasters, cable operators, and satellite television services, comply with their obligation to make Katrina emergency information accessible to people with hearing and vision disabilities, that it acts immediately on violations, and that it is proactive on Section 255 hearing aid compatibility.The Federal Interagency Coordinating Council on Emergency Preparedness and Individuals with Disabilities was established to ensure that the Federal government appropriately supports safety and security for individuals with disabilities in disaster situations. Chaired by the Secretary of Homeland Security, the purpose of the Council is to facilitate cooperation among Federal, State, local, and tribal governments and private organizations and individuals in the implementation of emergency preparedness plans as they relate to individuals with disabilities. The following recommendations from the Council's first annual report to President Bush (http://www.dhs.gov/interweb/assetlibrary/CRCL_IWDEP_AnnualReport_2005.txt) are salient as applied to our response to the Hurricane Katrina disaster and should be immediately acted upon:
* Coordinate evidence-based Federal research into the effectiveness of audio, visual and/or tactile protocols and technologies related to emergency preparedness, alerting, warning and response for
individuals with disabilities. In order to ensure that all persons are alerted to and warned about disasters or emergencies, accessible technologies are indispensable. The ICC is uniquely positioned to accelerate research that guides the development and integration of appropriate technologies into the Nation's emergency warning systems and practices. These technologies identified from research will guide
contract procurement and technical assistance, and translate findings into guidelines. Findings will also result in information on promising new practices for alerting and warning individuals with disabilities.
* Ensure comprehensive medical approaches that address the health care and medical needs of individuals with disabilities across the lifespan of an emergency event. In order to ensure that health care providers and emergency responders have the appropriate skills to provide life-sustaining care to individuals with disabilities for both pre-existing and incident-caused health needs, they must receive training. Effective competency-based instructional materials and training will increase positive outcomes for individuals with disabilities in times of emergency and over the duration of the recovery process. The ICC will work to ensure development of this type of instructional material and training.
* Direct homeland security funding to promote the full integration of people with disabilities in all aspects of emergency preparedness, response and recovery. There must be adequate funding to ensure that emergency planning includes people with disabilities. In the present environment, it is difficult for planners to find funds to meet their communities' needs for items ranging from evacuation devices to personal preparedness education materials. In January 2005, the Secretary of Homeland Security sent a letter to all Governors encouraging them to consider using a portion of their homeland security grants for such purposes. This effort should be replicated at the State, local and tribal levels to encourage the use of homeland security resources to achieve the goals of the Executive Order. To expedite the process, the ICC will develop a database of current funding streams devoted to emergency preparedness and people with disabilities. Leaders and experts within the disability community, members of relief organizations, media professionals, and local, state, and federal officials must establish a cooperative relationship to address the catastrophic effects of tens of thousands of Gulf Coast residents with disabilities. The challenges ahead will be overcome only by clear communication and ongoing dialogue among these and other groups. That dialogue must, at a minimum, identify key needs of people with disabilities, develop effective and timely strategies for addressing those issues, and build relationships and delineate responsibilities among disaster mitigation organizations, the media, and disability organizations.
* Disaster Preparation, Education, and Training. Relief and rescue operations must have the appropriate medical equipment, supplies, and training to address the immediate needs of people with disabilities. Affected individuals will require bladder bags, insulin pumps, walkers, or wheelchairs. Relief personnel must be equipped and trained in the use of such equipment. In addition, relief personnel should provide training, particularly for personnel and volunteers in the field, on howto support the independence and dignity of persons with disabilities in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
* Universal Design and Implementation Strategies. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, a universal design approach to meeting the needs of people with disabilities will benefit many people without
disabilities, such as the very young or the aged. A look at existing agreements among relief organizations and local, state, federal, and international governments will offer guidance in developing timely and effective strategies for universal design and implementation plans. The federal government could encourage or even mandate universal design andset standards.
* Partnerships with the Media. The media -- in partnership with disability and governmental organizations -- should incorporate ongoing advisories into emergency broadcasts in formats accessible to people with disabilities, recognizing that information may need to be conveyed through multiple mechanisms so that the information is available in both audible and visual formats. Such advisories should alert the public to ongoing threats (e.g., public health) resulting from Hurricane Katrina, and for identifying responsible and timely solutions. The creation and repetition of accessible media messages is critical for empowering people with disabilities to protect themselves from the chronic effects of Katrina.
* Partnerships with the Disability Community. Disability organizations must join with Katrina relief and rescue organizations and the media to educate and inform their constituents of disaster contingency and self-help plans.
The Community's Response
The disability community has mobilized to provide its expertise in assisting with the response to the disaster. Among many things, the community has organized several conference calls, directly assisted survivors on the ground, engaged in fundraising efforts, advised governmental entities, developed workgroups for follow up actions, and established informational websites. While the strength and unity of the disability community's response has played a critical role in disaster recovery, the full force of their assistance has been hampered by the lack of relief organizations' coordination with community leaders in the provision of clear and systemic communications, independent funding and resource support and not fully including disability experts in the development and implementation of assistance and recovery plans.Below are a few examples of the actions and information dissemination of the disability community:
* http://www.katrinadisability.info/ has been set up to provide information to people with disabilities and their families who have been affected by Hurricane Katrina. New information and resources will be added as it becomes available, so people should visit often for information and updates.
* California's Independent Living Centers, which are
community-based non-profit organizations serving people with
disabilities of all ages, have offered to serve as the collection points
for new or used items to be delivered to the survivors who are disabled.
" We know that many people who receive new replacement equipment, or
recover from an injury or illness, keep the older items in case they're
ever needed," according to Michael Collins of the State Independent
Living Council in Sacramento, "The items gathering dust in garages and
storage units around the state could make a real difference to a
survivor who cannot move without assistance at a shelter." Since many
people who are elderly, and children, need replacement items too, it is
hoped that the agencies serving such age groups will join in the
California collection drive. For anyone who would prefer to donate
money that will assist local disability organizations in the Southeast,
the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers is also
accepting such donations at www.cfilc.org.
Because the deliveries of donated goods need to be coordinated with a
local organization capable of temporary storage and effective delivery
to the people who really need the equipment and supplies, it is being
requested that advance contact be made with a recipient agency near the
shelter sites. California's Independent Living Centers have made those
contacts, and will coordinate shipment of the needed items. To find the
location of the nearest Independent Living Center or community
collection drive, call the State Independent Living Council at (866)
866-7452 or view the address www.calsilc.org.
Contact: Michael C. Collins, Executive Director
(866) 866-7452 (Toll-free)
(916) 505-4273 (Cellphone)
* United Cerebral Palsy Association (UCP) has set up an emergency
hotline for UCP of New Orleans. Concerned consumers and their families,
employees and volunteers can call 800-872-5827 to receive information,
as well as leave messages about their personal status. www.ucpgno.org
Additionally, United Cerebral Palsy has set-up a Hurricane Katrina
Disaster Relief Fund to provide services to people with disabilities
affected by hurricane Katrina and assist UCP affiliates throughout the
region in restoring their operations as quickly as possible. Members of
the public, who are able to help, are encouraged to make an online
donation at www.ucp.org.
* The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is providing a
resource guide and a Katrina Hurricane Relief Fund to assist consumers
and families affected by the hurricane. Included in this resource: How
NAMI is responding to the tragedy as it relates to people with serious
mental illness, NAMI's Hurricane Katrina Message Board, NAMI's email
alerts, Resources and Links to support and information specific for
people living with mental illness and their families.
http://www.nami.org/TextTemplate.cfm?Section=Hurricane_Katrina&Template=
/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=26242&lstid=566
1-800-950-nami (6264)
* The Spina Bifida Association (SBA) has a Hurricane Emergency
Life-Support Program including working with industry to secure essential
equipment, working with its chapters to distribute supplies when the
infrastructure in the region has been restored, and develop an Emergency
Preparedness program for future emergency situations. Also links to SBA
Chapter and Clinic Lists.
http://www.sbaa.org/site/PageServer?pagename=campaign_SBA_HELP
1-800-621-3141
* TASH (serving persons with severe disabilities) has put together
the following information for TASH members and colleagues regarding
efforts to assist disability related organizations and individuals with
disabilities and their families in the Gulf States and the states
receiving refugees from the storm and floods. We will be updating this
page with additional information as we receive it.
http://www.tash.org/katrinainfo.htm
410-828-8274
* The National Spinal Cord Injury Association (NSCIA) has
distributed "Ways to Support Disability Related Relief Efforts for
Hurricane Katrina." They include links for information, organizations,
and assistance http://www.spinalcord.org/news.php?dep=1&page=0&list=601
1-800-962-9629.
National Council on Disability Calls for Federal Disability Recovery Plan in Response to Hurricane Katrina
WASHINGTON—The National Council on Disability (NCD) expresses its deep concern for the tremendous loss of life and devastation caused in the southern part of the United States by Hurricane Katrina and urges the Federal Government to craft a strong coordinated Federal Disability Recovery Plan for the victims and survivors of the hurricane.
According to NCD chairperson Lex Frieden, “Current data indicates that people with disabilities are now most at risk in this situation—and will need recovery assistance for months or years. A disproportionate number of the Hurricane survivors are people with disabilities whose needs for basic necessities are compounded by chronic health conditions and functional impairments. Relief agencies must prioritize efforts and take special steps to address the unique and complex needs of this population.”
NCD’s 2005 report titled Saving Lives: Including People with Disabilities in Emergency Planning (http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2005/publications.htm) recommends immediate federal changes in emergency planning for people with disabilities. NCD encourages Hurricane Katrina responders to follow the findings and recommendations in this timely report.
“Saving Lives: Including People with Disabilities in Emergency Planning, NCD’s 2005 report, provides an overview of steps the Federal Government should take to build a solid and resilient infrastructure that will enable the government to include the diverse populations of people with disabilities in emergency preparedness, disaster relief, and homeland security programs. This infrastructure would incorporate access to technology, physical plants, programs, and communications. It also would include procurement and emergency programs and services.”
“NCD commends the Administration and those in leadership positions for the issuance of the July 22, 2004, Executive Order on people with disabilities and emergency preparedness. In addition, NCD acknowledges the work of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in their efforts to ensure that Americans with disabilities are included in the developing infrastructure.”
“All too often in emergency situations the legitimate concerns of people with disabilities are overlooked or swept aside. In areas ranging from the accessibility of emergency information to the evacuation plans for high-rise buildings, great urgency surrounds the need for responding to the concerns of people with disabilities in all planning, preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation activities. The homeland security terrorist event of September 11, 2001, as well as the recent energy blackouts in the U.S. Northeast and Midwest and, more recently, the natural disaster hurricane events in Florida, the tsunami event of 2004, and this most recent event, Hurricane Katrina, underscore the need to pay attention to the concerns raised in this report, Frieden said.”
The decisions the Federal Government makes, the priority it accords to civil rights, and the methods it adopts to ensure uniformity in the ways agencies handle their disability-related responsibilities are likely to be established in the early days of an emergency situation and be difficult to change if not set on the right course at the outset. By way of this report, NCD offers advice to assist the Federal Government in establishing policies and practices in these areas. This report provides examples of community efforts with respect to people with disabilities, but by no means does it provide a comprehensive treatment of the emergency preparedness, disaster relief, or homeland security program efforts by state and local governments.
Please visit https://disasterhelp.gov/portal/jhtml/index.jhtml, the Federal Government’s Web portal for disaster information and help.
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Copyright @ 2006 by Susan Fitzmaurice All Rights Reserved