Public Health Practices

Interactive, visual tool helps people with communication needs stay safe in emergency shelters

Source Agency: 
Massachusetts Department of Public Health
,
Massachusetts

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health created a visual tool for two-way conversations between emergency shelter staff and people with communication needs. The booklet allows shelter staff to ensure residents know how the shelter operates and residents to use images to express their needs and concerns.

Preparing the way for functional and access needs in general population shelters

Source Agency: 
Arizona Department of Health Services
,
Arizona

An Arizona partnership between public health and independent living advocates embarked on a project to better integrate people with functional needs into general population shelters during an emergency. The state health department purchased durable and adaptive equipment to support up to 1,000 people in shelters, and is currently training healthcare organizations to anticipate and meet the needs of people with functional disabilities during a disaster.

Guide for emergency responders provides tools for communicating with specific vulnerable groups

Source Agency: 
Florida Department of Health
,
Florida

In response to state demographics, a Florida Department of Health (DOH) work group developed a guide for emergency responders to communicate with various vulnerable populations during a disaster. The guide covers how to create an appropriate message, deliver it in a way that will be received and understood, and collaborate with area organizations that may have special knowledge or skills to reach their communities.

Clearinghouse provides easy-to-use preparedness resources for families and responders assisting children with ASD

Source Agency: 
Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities
,
Minnesota

During a disaster, children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) may experience extreme difficulty seeking assistance, communicating with others, and maintaining a sense of personal safety. Extra care and attention is required to ensure their safety and well-being.

Local health departments and community organizations work with paramedics to provide flu vaccine to homebound individuals

Source Agency: 
Oregon Department of Human Services Public Health Division
,
Oregon

Oregon’s "Taking H1N1 Vaccination to Vulnerable Populations" pilot project utilized nontraditional vaccinators, specifically paramedics affiliated with local ambulance services, as a strategy to improve influenza vaccination rates among homebound seniors and people with disabilities. Collaboration between local health departments, community-based organizations, and emergency medical service agencies provided flu vaccine to homebound individuals during a five-county pilot project in Oregon.

Radiological preparedness activities focus on at-risk populations living in proximity to nuclear power plant

Source Agency: 
Arizona Department of Economic Security
,
Arizona

A significant number of elderly people, people with disabilities, and children in group homes live near the nation’s largest nuclear power plant, the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, about 50 miles west of Phoenix. During a radiological emergency, they may need additional assistance. State health officials have used full-scale exercises and frequent contact to streamline their evacuation and decontamination response times for these vulnerable populations.

Preparedness book creates central location for essential medical information of seniors and people with disabilities during emergencies

Source Agency: 
Vulnerable Populations Committee of Jackson and Josephine Counties
,
Oregon

The Vulnerable Populations Committee of Jackson and Josephine Counties in Oregon developed the READY BOOK to ensure on-the-spot access to vital information needed by caregivers and medical professionals who assist individuals in need during an emergency.

Partnerships, tools, and tabletop exercise tackle preparedness, continuity of opioid treatment programs during a disaster

Source Agency: 
King County Healthcare Coalition
,
Washington

Stakeholders formed partnerships, created tools, and expanded the Seattle region's capacity to ensure continuity of care for opioid treatment patients during a disaster.

Grassroots coalition assembles network of community services to meet needs of county's vulnerable populations

Source Agency: 
Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department
,
Kansas

A grassroots community coalition in Kansas, called Together Prepared, takes a new twist on countywide efforts to increase communication and enhance individual, neighborhood, and organization preparedness with an emphasis on the needs of vulnerable populations.

Background

Use of H1N1 Funding to Contract with Advocacy Groups and CBOs

Source Agency: 
Maricopa County Department of Health
,
Arizona

Health department emergency response planners in Maricopa County, Arizona, were successful in expanding their existing outreach activities to get key messages about pandemic influenza to hard-to-reach communities.

Videoconference training: emergency planning for special needs communities (VA, WV)

Source Agency: 
Virginia Department of Health
,
Virginia
,
West Virginia

Virginia and West Virginia partnered to offer a videoconference training on preparedness and response for at-risk populations.

H1N1 Vaccine Clinics for Medically Fragile Children

Source Agency: 
Rhode Island Department of Health
,
Rhode Island

The Rhode Island State Health Department began holding H1N1 vaccination clinics for medically fragile children, who are defined as children with severe neurological illnesses or other severe chronic, underlying medical conditions, beginning in November 2009. Medically fragile children are at higher risk for severe complications from H1N1 influenza.

Training for Community Agencies to Plan for H1N1 and People with Special Needs

Source Agency: 
Rhode Island Department of Health
,
Rhode Island
The Rhode Island Department of Health and the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency (EMA) held the "Pandemic Influenza and Special Needs Leadership Training Program" during three days in mid-September, 2009.

H1N1 Public Service Announcements in American Sign Language

Source Agency: 
DeafMD.org
,
Maryland
A set of video public service announcements in American Sign Language (ASL) describe essential information for preventing and treating H1N1 influenza. The videos include an overview of H1N1 and address signs and symptoms, transmission, illness prevention, medications, how to care for someone who is sick, the seriousness of the virus, and an update on CDC's activities. A brief video from Health Information Translations complements the information by providing basic hand washing tips in ASL.

Guide for Including People with Disabilities in Disaster Preparedness Planning

Source Agency: 
University of Connecticut Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities
,
Connecticut
The guide provides recommendations and tools for people with many different types of disabilities. The guide includes sections on outreach and identification, planning, communication, evacuation, and sheltering. Each chapter contains numerous examples and scenarios to illustrate the information's applicability to individuals with physical, sensory, developmental, and psychiatric disabilities.

Diabetes Disaster Preparedness Guide

Source Agency: 
Hunterdon Healthcare System
,
New Jersey
Hunterdon Healthcare System developed a Diabetes Disaster Preparedness Guide for diabetes patients who must manage their condition during an emergency. The guide is intended to be used by patients during a variety of disasters, yet some of the information (e.g., foot care and blood sugar during strenuous physical labor) is applicable only to a structural or environmental disaster. The guide was later used by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services.

Special Needs Task Force and Registry

Source Agency: 
New Hanover County Emergency Management
,
North Carolina

New Hanover County, North Carolina, built and maintained a voluntary special needs emergency registry through their Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP). The registry was initiated in 1997 and housed under the Department of Emergency Management until 2003, when grant funds became available to support maintenance of a registry by RSVP.

Emergency Preparedness Tips for Those with Functional Needs Guidebook

Source Agency: 
Illinois Terrorism Task Force
,
Illinois
The Emergency Preparedness Tips for Those with Functional Needs Guidebook was developed by a team of emergency management and health professionals to provide preparedness tips for people with a variety of special needs. In addition to providing detailed information on building a disaster kit and documenting important health information, the guidebook also contains specific advice for seniors and the deaf and hard of hearing.

Guide helps people prepare for and respond to disasters

Source Agency: 
Florida Department of Health
,
Florida

Two agencies created a preparedness handbook for people with disabilities and their families, available in Spanish and Haitian Creole.

The Prepared Community Initiative

Source Agency: 
Bernalillo County Community Health Council
,
New Mexico

The Prepared Community Initiative is a training and technical assistance program for local Community Health Councils. The Initiative is intended to prepare Community Health Councils to be collaborative partners in health-related emergency preparedness and response, especially as it pertains to at-risk populations.

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