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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