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DISABILITY-RESEARCH  July 2006

DISABILITY-RESEARCH July 2006

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Subject:

People with Psychiatric Disabilities in Emergency Evacuations

From:

Frank Hall-Bentick <[log in to unmask]>

Reply-To:

Frank Hall-Bentick <[log in to unmask]>

Date:

Sun, 16 Jul 2006 08:35:22 +1000

Content-Type:

text/plain

Parts/Attachments:

Parts/Attachments

text/plain (142 lines)

  National Council on Disability Calls for Sweeping Changes for People
  with Psychiatric Disabilities in Emergency Evacuations

Fri Jul 14, 9:01 AM ET

To: National Desk

Contact: Mark S. Quigley of the National Council on Disability, 
202-272-2004 or 202-272-2074 (TTY)

WASHINGTON, July 13 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The National Council on 
Disability (NCD) today released The Needs of People with Psychiatric 
Disabilities During and After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: Position 
Paper and Recommendations ( 
http://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 
didn't 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 with 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 NCD's 2005 report, 
Saving Lives: Including People with Disabilities in Disaster Planning, 
available on the Web at 
http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2005/saving_l ives.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)

http://www.usnewswire.com/

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