Public Health Emergency Planning & Response ADA National Network Learning Session April 14, 2016 Maleeka J. Glover, ScD, MPH CHES Commander, USPHS Outline * Context * Why is this important? * Vulnerable Populations * Who are they? * Which federal agencies focus on them? * How do you incorporate them in preparedness planning? * Persons with Disabilities * What is CDC doing to take into account person with disabilities? CDC is the nation's health protection agency, working 24/7 to protect America from health and safety threats, both foreign and domestic. CDC increases the health security of our nation. A Strong Public Health System is a Critical Investment Hurricane Katrina, 2005 * 140,000 of those displaced were poor * 44% of storm victims were African American * 88,000 older adults were displaced * 183,000 children were displaced T Gabe, G Falk, M McCarty, VM Mason. Hurricane Katrina: social-demographic characteristics of impacted areas. Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress. Report for Congress. November 4, 2005. Accessed May 29, 2014, URL: http://gnocdc.s3.amazonaws.com/reports/crsrept.pdf Hurricane Sandy, 2012 * 85% of the affected were African American or Latino * 45% were below the federal poverty line * 26% had asthma * 18% had diabetes Schmeltz M et al. Lessons from Hurricane Sandy: a Community Response in Brooklyn, New York. Journal of Urban Health. 2013; 90(5). Outline * Context * Why is this important? * Vulnerable Populations * Who are they? * Which federal agencies focus on them? * How do you incorporate them in preparedness planning? * Persons with Disabilities * What is CDC doing to take into account person with disabilities? Who are Vulnerable Populations? Basic Definition * A group of people who may need extra help during a disaster or public health emergency * Examples * Hurricane Katrina – People without cars could not get out of New Orleans (Access Need) * Tornado Alerts – People with difficulty hearing may not know there is a tornado (Functional Need) http://www.phe.gov/Preparedness/planning/abc/Pages/atrisk.aspx Multiple Official Definitions * U.S. Department of Health and Human Services * Centers for Disease Control and Prevention * Population vs. Functional Needs Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “In Preparedness, Response, Recovery and Mitigation for an incident, populations may have additional needs in one or more of the following areas: communication, medical care, maintaining independence, supervision, and transportation…..” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At-Risk Populations Attachment to the All Hazards Plan. June 2013 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “….populations who may have additional access and functional needs include those who have disabilities, live in institutionalized settings, are from diverse cultures, have limited English proficiency or are non-English speaking, are transportation disadvantaged, have chronic medical disorders, and have pharmacological dependency.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At-Risk Populations Attachment to the All Hazards Plan. June 2013 CDC’s All Hazard Plan Populations in At-Risk Attachment * Children * Pregnant, postpartum, and lactating women * Adults with disabilities * Older adults * Persons with chronic medical disorders * Persons with mental illness * Individuals in prisons, jails, corrections and immigrant detention centers * Persons with limited English proficiency * American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) * Additional racial and ethnic minorities * Low-income populations, single-parent families, and public housing residents * Homeless persons CDC, At-Risk Attachment to the CDC All Hazards Plan (AHP) – DRAFT. 2014 Population-Based Definition * Geographic * Demographic * Biological * Socioeconomic * Often used by public health and social services * Address the unique needs of the specific population * Examples: Children, Pregnant Women, Individuals with Disabilities Functional Needs-Based Definition * Communication * Medical care * Independence * Supervision * Transportation * Often used by emergency management * Categorize individuals according to the services they need * Example: Individuals who have difficulty with independence and cannot accomplish activities of daily living without support Isaacson J et al "Moving Beyond "Special Needs": A Function-Based Framework for Emergency Management and Planning." Journal of Disability Policy Studies . 2007;17(4): 230-237. Public Health and Emergency Management Crosswalk Incorporating Populations in Preparedness Planning * Planning * Ensure plans include at-risk populations * Exercise the plans and include at-risk population scenarios * Example * Plan: use school buses for evacuation Incorporating Vulnerable Populations in Preparedness Planning * Planning * Ensure plans include at-risk populations * Exercise the plans and include at-risk population scenarios * Example * Plan: use school buses for evacuation * Problems: Wheelchairs? Walkers? Children without their parents? Incorporating Populations in Preparedness Planning * Planning * Ensure plans include at-risk populations * Exercise the plans and include at-risk population scenarios * Example * Plan: use school buses for evacuation * Problems: Wheelchairs? Walkers? Children without their parents? * Solutions: Ensure bus is wheelchair accessible; have someone on each bus who can assist with loading and unloading; create a plan for unaccompanied minors Incorporating Vulnerable Populations in the CDC Ebola Response * CDC Ebola Response * Thousands of staff * Complex structure * Many activities occurring at once * Need a staff member who can be the “voice” of vulnerable populations * Ensure that their needs are being recognized * Help to get the “right people” involved to address those needs Vulnerable Populations Officer * A dedicated person in the response * Sits at the “At Risk Desk” in the EOC * “Serve as the voice for all vulnerable populations during plans and briefings, and will serve as a liaison to definitive subject matter experts. They will not be expected to have expertise in all populations, but rather to represent the collective expertise of CDC’s subject matter experts.” CDC IMS Ebola At-Risk Populations Desk Officer Rotation Assignment Sheet Vulnerable Populations Officer * A dedicated person in the response * Sit at the “At Risk Desk” in the EOC * “Serve as the voice for all vulnerable populations during plans and briefings, and will serve as a liaison to definitive subject matter experts. They will not be expected to have expertise in all populations, but rather to represent the collective expertise of CDC’s subject matter experts.” CDC IMS Ebola At-Risk Populations Desk Officer Rotation Assignment Sheet Vulnerable Population Officer & Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) Integrating Vulnerable Populations in the CDC Ebola Response * The Vulnerable Populations Officer does this for ALL vulnerable populations. * This enables CDC to reach out to the right subject matter experts and the right external partners to get the right information. * Result: CDC has increased capacity to address vulnerable populations during a response. Outline * Context * Why is this important? * Vulnerable Populations * Who are they? * Which federal agencies focus on them? * How do you incorporate them in planning and response? * Persons with Disabilities * What is CDC doing to take into account person with disabilities? Disability and Health: Emergency Preparedness * Emergency Readiness for People with Disabilities http://www.cdc.gov/features/emergencypreparedness/index.html * Tips for First Responders http://cdd.unm.edu/dhpd/pdfs/FifthEditionTipsSheet.pdf * Disability Preparedness https://www.disability.gov/?s=&fq=topics_taxonomy:%22Emergency+Preparedness%5E%5E%22 Disability and Health: Emergency Preparedness * Preparing for and responding to pandemic influenza: implications for people with disabilities http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19797741 * Effective Emergency Preparedness Planning: Addressing the Needs of Employees with Disabilities http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/fact/effective.htm Disability and Health Data System (DHDS) People with Disabilities – You Can Be Prepared Planning ahead is required to protect yourself and your family when emergencies occur. You are in the ideal position to plan for your own safety as you best know your abilities and needs during and after an emergency or disaster. You can prepare for emergencies by planning ahead with your family and/or care attendants. * "Ready Now!" Toolkit * Get Ready! Toolkit * Smart911  Which Federal Agencies Address Specific Populations? * Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) * Individuals with disabilities * Administration for Children and Families (ACF) * Children and families * Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) * Individuals with chronic medical conditions * Veterans Affairs (VA) * Older adults * Individuals with chronic medical conditions * Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) * Multiple vulnerable populations Helpful Links * ASPR At-Risk, Behavioral Health & Community Resilience (ABC): http://www.phe.gov/Preparedness/planning/abc/Pages/default.aspx * CDC OPHPR: http://www.cdc.gov/phpr/ * CDC Social Vulnerability Index: http://svi.cdc.gov/ * CDC Preparedness Resources: http://www.cdc.gov/learning/archive/emergency-preparedness.html * FEMA http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/897 * American Red Cross http://www.redcross.org/prepare/location/home-family/disabilities Questions? Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response Office of the Director