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Edwards, George E.
(Spring 2006).
International Human Rights Law Violations Before, During, and After Hurricane Katrina: An International Law Framework for Analysis.
Thurgood Marshall Law Review.
Thurgood Marshall Scool of Law.
Pp. 353.
The law review article discusses how procedures and lack of action in response to Hurricane Katrina violated international laws. The article mentions people with disabilities and their right to be free from discrimination
(Available via licensed database.)
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(No author).
(2006).
VA POST-KATRINA HEALTH MANUAL: Information for Health Care Providers and Patients.
South Central VA Health Care Network.
Provides questionnaires and fact sheets for veterans and medical personnel. This document contains information on both physical and mental disorders and impairments caused as a result of the storm. While this document includes persons with chronic disabilities, it is primarily focused on acute care related to specific storm-exacerbated injuries
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(No author).
(2006).
Strategies in Emergency-Preparedness for Transportation- Dependent Populations.
U.S. Department of Transportation.
This document provides an overview of the importance of planning for transportation for persons who need assistance during an emergency. It discusses specific measures that communities have used to ensure the transportation is provided, as well as uncovering what still remains to be accomplished in terms of improving transportating for these dependent populations.
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(No author).
(2006).
The Impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on People with Disabilities.
National Council on Disability.
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the lives of many people who lived in the Gulf Coast region. Fortunately, millions of Americans opened their homes and their hearts to hurricane survivors while local, state, and federal government employees worked around the clock to evacuate and rescue people. With almost a year since the Hurricanes made landfall and wreaked havoc on the lives of many, we now have a clearer understanding of what went right, as well as what went wrong, with the response and recovery efforts. As this report will demonstrate, people with disabilities were disproportionately affected by the Hurricanes because their needs were often overlooked or completely disregarded. Their evacuation, shelter, and recovery experiences differed vastly from the experiences of people without disabilities. People with disabilities were often unable to evacuate because transportation was inaccessible. For example, most evacuation busses did not have wheelchair lifts. Moreover, people with visual and hearing disabilities were unable to obtain necessary information pertinent to their safety because said communication did not comply with federal law. To ensure that people with disabilities do not experience similar injustices during future catastrophes, emergency plans must acknowledge and address the difficulties experienced by people with disabilities discussed within this report, as well as include people with disabilities in rebuilding efforts. The National Council on Disability (NCD) offers these findings on the impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on people with disabilities to guide the President, Congress, and other emergency planners to develop inclusive emergency preparedness and response plans.
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(No author).
(2006).
Rough Start for State's Effort to Remake Faltering Schools in New Orleans.
New York Times.
This article discusses the difficulty parents are encountering who have children with disability in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
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(No author).
(2006).
Continuing Progress: A 1 Year Update on Hurricane Recovery and Rebuilding.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security: Office of the Secretary.
The paper gives a one-year update on the recovery and rebuilding process in the Gulf Coast Area. The paper discusses the rebuilding of communities including housing needs, discusses repairing and strengthening infrastructure, rebuilding the economy, providing healthcare, as well as still providing immediate relief and rescue. The paper is not specific to people with disabilities, but it does mention how efforts are focusing on finding housing and getting health care for people with disabilities, as well as including them in future emergency planning.
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(No author).
(2006).
Disaster Preparedness: Limitations in federal Evacuations Assistance for Health Facilities Should be Addressed.
Government Accountability Office.
This report outlines findings about evacuating "patients" in nursing homes. GAO found that facilities took steps to ensure that the facilities had needed resources, but had problems with transportation with respect to evacuation. There was some competition w/ transportation companies, though one had been secured beforehand. Some nursing homes were unable to communicate with local emergency managers. Thus, GAO recommends that DHS clearly delineate (1) how the federal government will assist state and local governments with the transportation of patients and residents of hospitals and nursing homes, and (2) how to address the needs of nursing home residents during evacuations.
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Mattingly, Diane.
(2006).
As Hurricane Season Begins, Katrina's Lessons Put to Work .
Washington Post.
The first hurricane of the 2006 season will be named Alberto, followed by Beryl and Chris. But any of the assigned hurricane names for this season could become known for devastation and despair, as Katrina did last year. That hurricane, which ravaged the Gulf Coast, has helped shape the way Fairfax County "does" emergency management and preparedness. "Following Katrina, we gave a 21/2-hour state of readiness presentation and report to the Board of Supervisors," said Doug Bass, emergency management coordinator for Fairfax County. Bass said, however, that lessons can be learned from all storms. "We saw a wakeup call with Hurricane Isabel. We lost power and water to a significant portion of Fairfax County for almost 24 hours," he said. That's when officials realized the importance of partnering with organizations such as utilities that provide services to the public. "We have to make sure our emergency plans and procedures support their emergency plans and procedures," Bass said. He said Fairfax County also has realized the importance of emergency planning for those with special needs. "We've started a volunteer registry where people with special needs or caregivers can go and register so that they're on our radar screen," he said. Another important lesson, he said, is the need to make arrangements for pets. "Before Katrina there was this mentality that people would be able to disassociate themselves from their pets," Bass said. "Eighty percent of people surveyed said they wouldn't leave unless their animals were taken care of." Hygiene issues might necessitate sheltering pets in one part of a building and owners in another. "But at least they would know their pets are being cared for," he said. In Bass's 30-year tenure as a public safety administrator and in the 11 hurricanes he's dealt with, he said he has seen people sit in cars with their animals rather than go into shelters because they couldn't take their pets. Another lesson, he said, is communication. Starting July 1, a new county watch center will make sure information is shared with residents and with federal and state agencies. The new WebEOC data-sharing program is funded by grants from the Office of Homeland Security. During the recent Rolling Thunder motorcycle event on the Mall, the data-sharing program allowed jurisdictions to post and share information and see images in real time. In the past, a scramble of phone calls was needed to share information. According to the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, the 2006 hurricane season is expected to produce 17 named storms, including 14 hurricanes, five of them intense. In addition, the agency predicts a 64 percent probability of at least one major hurricane hitting the East Coast.
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(No author).
(2006).
The Arc of the Gulf Coast gets $25,000 grant.
Sun Herald.
The Arc of the Gulf Coast recently received a $25,000 grant from The Gulf Coast Community Foundation through its Build Back the Coast Fund. The Arc is a nonprofit agency serving citizens of Harrison County with mental retardation and developmental disabilities. The grant will be used to provide job skills training and education for adults with disabilities in its Benchwork Industries program.
(Available via licensed database.)
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(No author).
(2006).
2005 Annual Report to the President and Congress.
National Council on Disability.
The NCD submitted its Annual Performance Report to the President and Congress-Fiscal Year 2005 made various recommendations concerning emergency planning for people with disabilities. These suggestions included housing, health care, education, and transportation.
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Reemer, Andrew.
(2006).
Brookings Briefing on the Census.
The Brookings Institute.
Panel notes, discussing the situation after Katrina and how the elderly and disabled people affected.
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(No author).
(2006).
Nationwide Plan Review Phase 2 Report.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The report by the Department of Homeland Security reviews and assess the status of the catastrophic and evacuation planning in all states and 75 of the nation's largest urban areas. The Plan Review has two phases, the first ivolved self-assessment in each state and urban area, and the second phase involved peer reviews. This paper relects the findings of both phases.
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Egeland, Jane; Kälin Walter.
(2006).
Protecting People Affected by Natural Disasters - Operational Guidelines.
UN Secretary -General on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons.
The guidelines are adopted in Geneva UN meeting on June 2006. Although they are not particularly addressed to the disabled people or Katrina, the provide agenda for emergency preparedness for disabled people.
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(No author).
(2006).
Lessons Learned for Protecting and Educating Children After the Gulf Coast Hurricanes.
Government Accountability Office.
Focused on protecting and educating children after the Gulf Coast hurricanes. The report outlines lessons learned: (1) state and local disaster plans could better protect children if they integrated the needs of child welfare and education agencies. For example, schools can reopen more quickly when local relief officials work with school personnel to coordinate how resources will be allocated. With schools in operation, communities can focus on recovery. Moreover, child welfare and education agencies can better prepare for and respond to large-scale disasters by maintaining emergency contact information for staff and foster parents and developing evacuation instructions; (2) children could benefit from data-sharing agreements among organizations. Agreements to share data on displaced children and families could help speed efforts to locate them; (3) flexibility in certain federal reporting requirements can allow states and localities to focus more attention on recovery efforts.
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(No author).
(2006).
Hurricane Katrina: Policies and Procedures are Needed to Ensure Appropriate Use of and Accountability for International Assistance.
Government Accountability Office.
The report indicated that polices and procedures are needed to ensure appropriate use and accountability of international assistance received during a domestic disaster. The GAO recommends improving policies, procedures, planning, and oversight of international cash and in-kind donations to the US government.
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Dewan, Shaila.
(2006).
Storm Evacuees Found to Suffer Health Setbacks.
A NY Times article reporting a recent study that interviewed families living in trailers or hotels. It provides a grim portrait of the hurricane's effects on some of the poorest victims, showing gaps in the tattered safety net pieced together from government and private efforts.
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(No author).
(2006).
State of Texas Action Plan for CDBG Disaster Recovery Grantees under the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2006.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
This is a action plan for Texas in response to Hurricane Katrina and future disasters. It's main focus is housing for victims who were displaced; there is only limited reference to people with disabilities.
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(No author).
(2006).
State of Texas Action Plan for CDBG Disaster Recovery Grantees under the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2006.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
This is a action plan for Texas in response to Hurricane Katrina and future disasters. It's main focus is housing for victims who were displaced; there is only limited reference to people with disabilities.
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(No author).
(2006).
Hurricane Katrina: Status of the Health Care System in New Orleans and Difficult Decisions Related to Efforts to Rebuild it Approximately 6 Months After Hurricane Katrina.
Government Accountability Office.
This letter to Congressional Committees about the status of the health care system in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina indicates that the health care infrastructure was damaged by the hurricane and the availability of services declined. It indicates that as residents slowly return to the area, health care needs must be assessed, and includes estimates for costs and fund allocations to area hospitals.
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(No author).
(2006).
A Performance Review of FEMA's Disaster Management Activities in Response to Hurricane Katrina.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
This report assess the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) performance as it conducted its disaster management responsibilities in response to Hurricane Katrina. We examined whether the laws, regulations, policies, procedures, plans, guidelines, and resources were adequate and operational, and whether FEMA's organizational structure enhanced or hindered its emergency management capabilities. The recommendations herein have been developed to the best knowledge available to our office, and have been discussed in draft with those responsible for implementation. It is our hope that this report will result in more effective, efficient, and economical operations.
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Salmon, Jacqueline L.
(2006).
Katrina's Vietnamese Victims; Falls Church Area Agency Aids Gulf Coast Immigrants.
Washington Post.
Fisherman Ky Le climbed out of his truck, hoisting his 3-year-old son, and pointed to a mass of splintered wreckage on a muddy lot. "That my house," said Le, 42, in his fragmentary English. Then he laughed. It was easier than crying. All that remained of the family's mobile home was this slab of linoleum, set on a wheeled hunk of rusting metal and covered with overturned appliances, dishes, clothing and other items. A backpack that belonged to the couple's oldest son lay near his math workbook. In the moist, salty wind, shards of a nearby metal shed swayed and creaked as Le's wife, Loan, 39, picked through the rubble, looking for documents that would prove the family had flood insurance to cover the ruin caused by Hurricane Katrina. This was Plaquemines Parish, a ghostly finger of marshy land poking into the Gulf of Mexico and bisected by the Mississippi River, where life and property were swept away when Hurricane Katrina made landfall near Buras on Aug. 29. The couple and their three children lost their home and car. Miraculously, Ky's shrimp boat sustained only relatively minor damage. After several months of taking shelter with other homeless Vietnamese fishermen and their families at a Buddhist temple 50 miles up the road, the family has settled in a rented mobile home near the temple while they untangle their affairs. The plight of the Le family, and thousands of other Vietnamese immigrants living along the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast, has become the focus of a Falls Church area nonprofit, Boat People SOS. In December, the 25-year-old organization, which works with Vietnamese immigrants through a network of offices nationwide, received a $4.5 million federal grant to seek out and work with the neediest Hurricane Katrina victims, helping them to rebuild their lives financially and emotionally over the next 22 months. Along with three other nonprofits based in the Washington area -- Catholic Charities USA of Alexandria, Volunteers of America of Alexandria and the National Disability Rights Network of Northeast Washington -- Boat People SOS is part of a consortium of 10 organizations nationwide awarded a total of $66 million to assist 300,000 struggling Katrina victims. Many are poor, elderly or disabled, said Warren Harrity, executive director of Katrina Aid Today, the consortium's parent organization based in Northwest Washington. Some are single parents, while others, like those in the Vietnamese communities that Boat People is working with, speak limited English. "There are a lot of folks who are just not able to access the world of resources out there," Harrity said. The contract was awarded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to the United Methodist Committee on Relief, the disaster-relief and development arm of the United Methodist Church, using funds donated by foreign governments. The Methodist relief committee, in turn, contracted with the 10 nonprofits to carry out the work, and it will manage the grant and monitor the groups' progress. The committee program within which these agencies work is Katrina Aid Today. Last week, Volunteers of America launched a $6 million case-management program that will use 60 professionals and 240 trained volunteers to work with about 20,000 people -- many of them already struggling with disability, age, raising children on a limited income or addiction. "A lot of people, at least the ones we talk to . . . were pretty fragile anyway," said Margaret Ratcliff, vice president of programs for Volunteers of America. The National Disability Rights Network will focus on 8,000 disabled Katrina victims, including those with physical handicaps, mental illnesses and addiction problems, primarily in Mississippi, Texas and LA, said spokeswoman Kaaryn Sanon. Catholic Charities USA will receive $12 million, which will help fund 125 paid and 250 volunteer case managers who are being brought in to work with Katrina victims in Catholic Charities offices in 13 states, said the Rev. Larry Snyder, the organization's chief executive. A combination of therapist, nagging mother, networker and advocate, a case manager works one-on-one with clients and with other case managers, drawing up "recovery plans" and then assisting clients with finding housing, jobs and services they need. "Our aim is to help the folks to achieve a level of self-sufficiency," Harrity said. Boat People SOS's task is one of the more challenging: to work with insular, often isolated, Vietnamese communities. An estimated 50,000 Vietnamese live along the Gulf Coast, including "boat people" who settled in the area after fleeing Southeast Asia in the 1970s and '80s. The federal grant, worth about $4.5 million to Boat People, is by far the largest ever received by the organization, which brought in $2.1 million in federal grants in 2004. The group is in the process of hiring 19 case managers to work with Katrina victims through new branch offices in LA, Mississippi and Alabama, said Executive Director Nguyen Dinh Thang. Many of Boat People's target clients are fishermen, small-business people or blue-collar workers who speak little or no English and, until now, have had relatively little contact with local or federal governments. Boat People SOS was founded in California in 1981. It has evolved from an organization that rescued thousands of people in small vessels on the ocean who were fleeing Vietnam in the wake of the communist takeover, to one that offers a variety of services to Vietnamese immigrants nationwide. Funded mostly by government contracts and grants, it now has 17 offices around the country, including three in the Washington area: in Prince George's County, in the District and, its headquarters, in a Leesburg Pike (Route 7) office building just north of Baileys Crossroads. It draws its work almost exclusively from government agencies, such as those of Fairfax County and the U.S. government, including the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement and the departments of Labor, Education and the Treasury. Boat People offers cancer screenings and translation services, educates nail-salon employees on hazardous materials, sponsors after-school tutoring and teen abstinence education, and helps Vietnamese immigrants become U.S. citizens, among other services. In LA, the epicenter of its current efforts, is a small Buddhist temple in Orleans Parish, just over the border from Plaquemines. The area is home to thousands of Vietnamese immigrants who earn their livings plying the waters of the Gulf. Katrina destroyed many of their homes and boats, and about 50 of them are now living at Bo De Temple while they await FEMA trailers or repairs to their homes. They live in the temple's fellowship hall and education center, sleeping on mattresses jammed into small classrooms and cooking in the center's kitchen. They have fashioned curtains out of aluminum foil and brown paper. Some, uncomfortable with the crowded conditions, have retreated to tents on the muddy grounds. One 81-year-old man lives in his car, which he has outfitted with a sleeping bag and a television balanced on the rear seat. The presence of the evacuees has put on hold the temple's plan to use the center, which was recently completed at a cost of $200,000, to offer English classes to adults and Vietnamese classes to children. The added expense has also strained the small temple's finances. "It's very difficult for us in this situation," said the Rev. Thich-Thong Duc, the Buddhist monk who runs Bo De. Duc moved to the United States from Vietnam seven years ago. "But we are happy to help people." Among Boat People's tasks is to help the Vietnamese negotiate their way through the formidable Katrina-assistance bureaucracy. Some evacuees were not aware they were eligible for assistance from FEMA and thus never applied, said case manager Alessandra Thomas. The organization believes that others' claims were inaccurately denied and plans to launch appeals on behalf of those clients. Duc said the community is grateful for the assistance. "You come here, you help our community," he told Thomas over tea one recent morning. "We appreciate that. We are happy about that." But Boat People has had to surmount some cultural differences. For many Vietnamese, the stubborn American tradition of refusing to take no for an answer is an alien concept, said Ha Hoa Dang, a spokesman for Boat People. "They'll accept that when the U.S. government has said no, that means no," Dang said. Other more complex issues also have surfaced. For many Vietnamese fishermen, ownership of their boats is complicated. Some have tangled agreements -- sometimes written, sometimes not -- with others that make for messy insurance claims. Many had no flood insurance on their homes, or lost their insurance documents in the storm. To reach the extensive Vietnamese communities in the New Orleans area, Boat People is distributing fliers and spreading the word through Buddhist temples and Vietnamese Catholic Churches. It also is relying on word of mouth. Working off a laptop on a folding table in the temple's cluttered fellowship hall, case managers Thomas and Phu Nguyen work with a steady stream of Katrina victims. They help some fill out paperwork to get free cell phones offered to Katrina evacuees through a Federal Communications Commission program. To others, they hand out fliers in Vietnamese that explain FEMA benefits and Boat People's program. Many, said Thomas, don't realize that they might be eligible for loans and grants from the government to help them rebuild their boats and homes. But she is confident that more will turn to Boat People for help as they hear about its services. "Word travels pretty fast here," she said. As soon as Boat People showed up last month, Loan and Ky Le turned to the group for help. Boat People case workers say that the Le family has flood insurance for their mobile home and, fortunately, Loan was able to unearth from the rubble a letter certifying her claim. Even so, their claim was rejected, and Thomas is working with them to figure out why, launch an appeal and help them through the paperwork. "She help me a lot," Loan said. Despite the devastating losses, she said, the couple isn't discouraged. As an example, Loan pointed to her husband, who squatted by the trailer, cigarette in hand. "He falls down, he stand up and he walk again. He keep working," she said. "He keep working."
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(No author).
(2006).
Progress Made: A 6-Month Update on Hurricane Relief, Recovery and Rebuilding.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security: Federal Emergency Management Agency.
This report focuses on the efforts made after Hurricane Katrina hit. It specifically focuses on the activities made by various government agencies. There is a bit of information in the report about recovery, repair, and restoring services. This report
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(No author).
(2006).
Emergencies and Disasters: Declared Disasters and Assistance: What Government is Doing.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
February 28, 2006 marks the 6-month point since Hurricane Katrina hit landfall. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita were two of the most intense hurricanes ever recorded during the Atlantic Hurricane season. The storm had a massive impact on the physical landscape, her people as well as on the region’s economy. Approximately 90,000 square miles were hit by the storm – roughly the size of Great Britain – directly affecting 1.5 million people. Commercial infrastructure was heavily damaged, with ports – of which one-quarter of all U.S. imports and exports pass through – closed after sustaining damage. Airports, railroads, bridges, warehouses, wharves, offshore facilities, roads, schools and hospitals were also closed after getting hit. More than 16,000 federal personnel have been deployed to help state and local officials along the Gulf Coast recover from the damage. Some $88 billion in federal aid has been allocated for relief, recovery and rebuilding, with another $20 billion requested, to help victims of storm and the region recover and rebuild. President Bush continues to follow through with the Federal commitment to “do what it takes” to help residents of the Gulf Coast rebuild their lives in the wake of the disaster. 15,000 HUD-assisted or homeless families are receiving up to 18 months of housing assistance through the Katrina Disaster Housing Assistance Program (KDHAP), administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). More than 6,000 single-family homes within a 500-mile radius of the declared disaster areas have been identified and HUD has either repaired these homes or is currently in the process of repairing them; more than 1,000 families have been able to move back in, with another 800 in process. Once repaired, the remainder of these homes will be offered to evacuees either as temporary housing or for purchase through a discounted sale program. To respond to the human services and mental health needs of individuals affected by the hurricane, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded $550 million in Social Service Block Grants. The funding will also provide support to those lacking health insurance or adequate access to care, and to health care safety net providers. Funding was provided in varying amounts to all 50 States, with the majority going to LA (40 percent), MS (23 percent), TX (16 percent), and FL (10 percent). Over 30,000 families are being helped through HHS' Administration on Children and Families (ACF) Temporary Assistance for Needy Families(TANF) program by the provision ofshort?term, non-recurrent cash benefits to families who traveled to another State from the disaster designated States The hurricane-damaged States of MS, LA, and AL also received additional funding for the TANF program to provide assistance and work opportunities to needy families ($69 million for loan forgiveness and $25 million in contingency funds for State Welfare Programs). The website only mentions persons with disabilities to the extent that DOL deployed Disability Program Navigators to assist individuals with disabilities who were affected ($5 million), and the Social Security Administration immediately invoked emergency procedures once Katrina hit to locate displaced Social Security, SSI and disability beneficiaries to provide them with a replacement check if they did not receive theirs, in cases of electronic deposit, were unable to access their funds.
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(No author).
(2006).
Progress Made: A 6 Month Update on Hurricane Relief, Recovery, and Rebuilding.
USA Freedom Corps.
This article discusses the immediate needs of people affected by Hurricane Katrina and also the long-term needs. A section of the article is dedicated to rebuilding the economy and protecting workers. There are also sections on restoring transportation, utilities, social services, etc. There is a brief mention of SSI and SSD but there is not much else pertaining to persons with disabilities.
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(No author).
(2006).
Katrina Disability Information.
Information on Disability for Empowerment, Advocacy, & Support (I.D.E.A.S.).
I.D.E.A.S. (Information on Disability for Empowerment, Advocacy, & Support) has created a webpage, listing resources for people with disabilities who were affected by Hurricane Katrina and their families and friends. The listings include information on n
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(No author).
(2006).
National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research - Notice of Final Long-Range Plan for Fiscal Years 2005-2009.
U.S. Department of Education.
The paper is about a five-year research plan that has several purposes. First is to set broad general directions to guide NIDRR's (National Insitute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research) policies and resources; two, to have objectives for research; 3, to write a system for operationalizing the Final Plan in terms of annual priorities, etc.; 4, to have new emphasis on the management and administration of the research.
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(No author).
(2006).
Notice of Final Long-Range Plan for Fiscal Years.
U.S. Deptartment of Education.
Vol. 71,
Issue 31.
The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) publishes the Final Long-Range Plan (Final Plan) for the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) for FY 2005 through 2009. As required by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (Act), the Assistant Secretary takes this action to outline priorities for rehabilitation research, demonstration projects, training, and related activities, and to explain the basis for these priorities
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(No author).
(2006).
Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina Lessons Learned.
Homeland Security and Counterterrorism.
The President specifically requested that we review the response to the Federal government to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The Report is organized in a manner to give the reader the most comprehensive and clear understanding possible of what happened during the Federal response to Hurricane Katrina.
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Frieden, Lex.
(2006).
NCD Bulletin February 2006.
National Council on Disability.
This website is a newsletter bulletin for NCD but includes a link to the Katrina Follow-up. Under that section, it details a report titled The Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina: Lessons Learned. The report identifies deficiencies in the Federal Government's response, makes recommendations, and provides the best solutions to address the problems.
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(No author).
(2006).
Research Abstracts for the Emergency Preparedness.
American Association on Health and Disability.
This website gives links to articles on emergency preparedness
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(No author).
(2005).
Katrina Recovery Information: Students and Families.
MS Department of Education.
This website provides information for displaced students and their families. It also provides web links for children who have various disabilities.
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(No author).
(2005).
Key Policy Letters Signed by the Education Secretary or Deputy Secretary.
U.S. Department of Education.
Form letter to send to elementary and secondary chief state school officers indicating that flexibility and resources can be found in waivers and modifications; highly qualified teacher requirements; reallocation of funds; and supplemental appropriations.
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(No author).
(2005).
Newsroom: National Council on Disability on Hurricane Katrina Affected Areas.
National Council on Disability.
The National Council on Disability (NCD) believes that people with disabilities will have unique needs in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina that must be surveyed and responded to immediately. The article gives information and makes recommendations for effective disaster relief and assistance to people with disabilities in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The Federal government is attempting to address the needs of people with disabilities through FEMA, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Food and Nutrition Service, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. However, more needs to be done to facilitate a coordinated Federal Disability Recovery Plan for Hurricane Katrina. NCD has offered some recommendations to support the administration’s assistance to those affected by Katrina. The article also summarizes different reports released by the NCD with recommendations to the federal government, leaders and experts within the disability community, media professionals, and relevant officials. Some examples of the action and information dissemination by the disability community are provided.
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(No author).
(2005).
More Help for Students Displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
U.S. Department of Education.
This site introduces a web page that was designed to ensure that schools affected by the hurricanes have sufficient supplies. There is nothing specifically pertaining to persons with disabilities.
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Wilemon, Tom.
(2005).
FEMA agrees to handicap settlement.
Sun Herald.
Claire Brou may have to use a scooter to get around, but she knows how to stand up for herself. The 78-year-old Ocean Springs woman and 10 other disabled people who lost homes to either Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita filed a class-action lawsuit against FEMA, contending that the federal agency failed to provide them suitable housing. FEMA agreed to a settlement requiring it to provide more handicap-accessible trailers. A judge will decide if the settlement is fair after a Sept. 26 hearing in U.S. District Court in New Orleans. Brou, a retired U.S. Air Force captain, is a well-known citizen in Ocean Springs who regularly attends City Hall meetings and keeps a close tab on her neighborhood. She relies on a scooter because she is paralyzed on her right side. Cary LaCheen, a lawyer with the National Center for Law and Economic Justice who worked on the case, said other disabled people may not have the wherewithal to fight for their rights. "There are a lot of other people out there who are still waiting or have given up waiting or are living in something that isn't accessible because they were told by a contractor when a trailer was delivered 'Take it or leave it.' According to court papers, FEMA during the last week of September 2005 provided Brou with a trailer that had a door too narrow for her scooter to pass through. The agency gave her a second trailer in October, but the door handle on it was on the wrong side for Brou to use because of her paralysis. The inside was too narrow for her to turn her scooter around and it did not have a roll-in shower. She could only access the bed from the foot, and had to call 911 for assistance one night after she fell. Other disabled South Mississippi residents who sued the federal agency were Eugene Joseph Johnson of Bay St. Louis and Terry West of Kiln. Their lawyers contended that FEMA violated the Fair Housing Act, the Architectural Barriers Act and other federal laws. Under terms of the settlement, FEMA denies any liability and maintains that it administered its programs in a lawful manner. However, the agency has agreed to publicize how it will assist disabled individuals with temporary housing, establish a toll-free telephone number for the disabled to call, require that 10 percent of trailers ordered comply with Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards, hire a separate contractor to assist handicapped individuals, make sure than 5 percent of trailers in group sites are handicap accessible and appoint a third party to resolve disputes between the agency and handicapped individuals. The Sun Herald will publicize the toll free number once it is available.
(Available via licensed database.)
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Frieden, Lex.
(2005).
Letter to the President at the White House.
National Council on Disability.
This is a letter addressed to the President of the U.S. concerning a long-term commitment to recovery and reconstruction efforts in the Gulf Coast areas affected most by Hurricane Katrina as well as regions in Texas and LA hit by Hurricane Rita. This letter proposes that reconstruction incorporates individuals with disability. Additionally, discusses accessible housing, reliable transportation, working and educational opportunities for disabled people.
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Greczek, Elizabeth A.
(2005).
How to Weave Through the Special Education Maze in the Wake of Hurricane Katrina.
Independent Living Research Utilization.
This is a presentation by Elizabeth Greczek, a senior staff attorney with the National Disability Rights Network. The presentation is about how to provide educational needs for students with disabilities who were displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
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Justesen, Troy.
(2005).
Letter to Parent Center Directors Regarding Parent Training and Information Centers and Community Parent Resource Centers Meeting the Needs of Children with Disabilities and Their Families.
U.S. Department of Education: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
The web page is a letter to Parent Center Directors thanking them for their help with families who have children with disabilities in regards to special education. The letter asks the the directors continue to be proactive in working with the schools and with the families.
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(No author).
(2005).
Request for Information about the Experiences of People with Disabilities Affected by Katrina.
National Council on Disability.
Soliciting information from disabled individuals who went through Katrina to submit info to the NCD
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Spellings, Margaret.
(2005).
Letter to Honorable Cecil J. Picard in Response to LA's Request for Flexibility.
U.S. Department of Education.
The web page is a letter to the LS State Superintendent detailing a response to a past letter asking for financial funding as well as varias waivers regarding special education students and school policies specifically for those students displaced by the hurricane.
-
(No author).
(2005).
National Disability Rights Network Calls on Education Secretary to Address Needs of Students with Disabilities Displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
National Disability Rights Network.
This press release addresses the needs of the 37,000 students with disabilities displaced by Katrina. NDRN is requesting that the U.S. Department of Education provide resources to ensure that students receive the protections of the IDEA, ADA, and secti
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(No author).
(2005).
Letter to Margaret Spellings, Secretary of Education, U.S. Department of Education, RE: Students with Disabilities Displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
National Disability Rights Network.
This letter requests that the Department of Education make resources available to help students with disabilities who were displaced by Katrina. Approximately 373,000 students were displaced and it is estimated that 10% of these students are students wi
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(No author).
(2005).
National Council on Disability on Katrina Affected Areas.
National Council on Disability.
This gives some numbers on how many disabled individuals there are in Katrina affected cities. For example: "In New Orleans, a city of about 484,000 people, 23.2 percent of residents are people with disabilities." It also lists some triage housing contac
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(No author).
(2005).
Checklist for Interaction with Katrina Evacuees Coming to Your State.
National Spinal Cord Injury Association.
This site provides information for people affected by Hurricane Katrina, including individuals with disability. The site discusses efforts to coordinate the flow of information between states and across the country, and offers many links to government website.
-
(No author).
(2005).
Safeguarding the Health of Katrina's Victims.
Kaiser Family Foundation.
This is a transcript of a meeting discussing the current health situation of the people affected by Hurricane Katrina. Comments were made on the general help of the public and volunteers as well as the response at the local, state, and federal levels in terms of health care. There is some mention of people with disabilities and special needs.
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(No author).
(2005).
Handbook on Disability and Special Needs.
West Virginia University: Center on Excellence for Disabilities.
One of the most important roles of local government is to protect their citizens from harm including helping people prepare for and respond to emergencies. Making local government emergency preparedness and response programs accessible to people with disabilities is a critical part of this responsibility. Making these programs accessible is required by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). If you are responsible for your community's emergency planning or response activities, you should involve people with disabilities in identifying needs and evaluating effective emergency management practices. Issues that have the greatest impact on people with disabilities include: notification, evacuation, emergency transportation, sheltering, access to medical care and medications, access to their mobility devices or service animals while in transit or at shelters and access to information. In planning for emergency services, you should consider the needs of people who use mobility aids such as wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, canes or crutches, or people who have limited stamina. Plans also need to include people who use oxygen or respirators, people who are blind or who have low vision, people who are hard of hearing, people who have a cognitive disability, people with mental illness and those with other types of disabilities. Although employers are not required to have emergency evacuation plans under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), if employers covered by the ADA opt to have such plans they are required to include people with disabilities. Further, employers who do not have emergency evacuation plans may have to address emergency evacuation for employees with disabilities as a reasonable accommodation under Title I of the ADA. In addition, employers in certain industries may have obligations to develop emergency evacuation plans under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA Act) or under state and local law. If you are a person with a disability, know how to reduce the impact of a disaster on yourself. The website reminds people that persons with disabilities are just like everyone else and provides a list of more considerate terms for persons with disabilities Many people with disabilities use "assistive technology" to enable them to use computers and access the Internet. People who cannot see computer monitors may use screen readers - devices that speak the text that would normally appear on a monitor. People who have difficulty using a computer mouse can use voice recognition software to control their computers with verbal commands. People with other types of disabilities may use still other kinds of assistive technology. Poorly designed web sites can create barriers for people with disabilities, just as poorly designed buildings prevent some people from entering them. Designers may not realize how simple features built into a web page will assist someone who, for instance, cannot see a computer monitor or use a mouse. It then names section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (naming 16 specific sections: images, multimedia, color, readability, server-side image maps, client-side image maps, data tables, row and column headers, frames, flicker-rate, text-only, scripts, applets and plug-ins, electronic forms, navigation, and timed response), section 255 of the Communications Act, and the ADA, all of which have requirements for accessibility to persons with disabilities.
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(No author).
(2005).
NCD Bulletin Sept. 2005.
National Council on Disability.
NCD calls for Katrina Relief action from Homeland Security; CRIPA and Hurricane Relief efforts, and a legislative update related to disability.
-
(No author).
(2005).
Nobody Left Behind: Analysis of Local Emergency Management Plans to Determine Whether the Needs of Persons with Mobility Limitations are Being Met.
The Research and Training Center on Independent Living at the University of Kansas.
This document indicates that a three-year research grant was awarded to the University of Kansas funded by the CDC. The project was to request local emergency plans from 30 sites selected for analysis, and to analyze those plans. From the 11 sites that provided investigators with a section of their local emergency management plans for review, only two (or 18%) had comprehensive procedures stated in their plans to address the needs of persons with mobility impairments. The two sites took different approaches in their individual plans. One approach created a separate appendix on persons with disabilities, while the other approach referenced how to address the needs of the persons with disabilities in teh various appropriate sections. Both of these approaches could be considered as emerging best practices for emergency managers to adopt. In addition, the plan should, at a minimum, address the guidelines for ADA pertaining to emergency management as recommended by teh DOJ. It is recommendation that model appendices be developed for the various special needs populations. It is also recommended that federal and state leaders in emergency management encourage at the local level the adoption of separate appendices for the various speical needs populations that are predominate in their individual community settings. This is a major shift in philosophy concerning the content style of emergency management plans. But, it appears to be warranted due to the lack of training many of the emergency managers have in special needs populations, which includes persons with disabilities. This research study found that 73% of the managers had not taken the special needs course offered by FEMA, 80% did not have guidelines in their plans and another 79% are not planning to develop guidelines to address the needs of persons with disabilities. There needs to be systems for identification of persons and residential and medical facilities needing assistance with evacuation, transportation, shelter, or medical needs during a disaster. Ten out of the eleven plans had requirements for one or more identification systems to address specific assistance needs of the elderly, ill, and persons with disabilities.
-
(No author).
(2005).
Briefing Paper: Objective Three, Part 1.
Nobody Left Behind, University of Kansas.
A briefing paper that targets leading agencies in developing and implementing policies and procedures for emergency preparedness and response for people with disabilities. The paper includes research findings and questions to address the findings. Further recommendations are included.
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Roth, Marcie.
(2005).
Serving and Protecting All by Applying Lessons Learned. Including People with Disabilities and Seniors in Disaster Services.
Disabilitypreparedness.gov.
The web page is actually a report about the lessons learned during Hurricane Katrina and what needs to be done for people with disabilities at the local, state, regional and federal level. It also discusses evacuation, housing, communication, shelters, training, recovery centers, as well as experiences of people with disabilities in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina.
-
(No author).
(2005).
Funding Sources and Partners.
MS Council on Developmental Disabilities.
This website provides links to various government agencies that provide assistance to individuals with disability. However, it really does not address emergency preparedness.
-
(No author).
(2005).
Making Community Emergency Preparedness and Response Programs Accessible to People With Disabilities.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
This articles addresses emergency preparedness and response programs for local government. It includes information about transportation, shelter, and providing assistance to disabled individuals during the emergency.
-
(No author).
(2005).
Annotated Bibliography on Emergency Preparedness and Response For People with Disabilities.
American Association on Health and Disability.
This website gives links to articles on emergency preparedness
-
(No author).
(2005).
State Plan FYY2006-2007.
LA Developmental Disabilities Council.
This is the annual fiscal report for the LA Developmental Disabilities Center. It includes the goals and objectives of the counsel for the year 2006.
-
(No author).
(2005).
Katrina Recovery Information.
MS Department of Education.
This website discusses the education initiative to help Mississippi schools recover, rebuild, improve, and expand the learning opportunities for students.
-
(No author).
(2005).
A Record of Accomplishment - 2004.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
This website discusses President Bush's program - New Freedom Initiative, which helps ensure that all Americans have the opportunity to learn and develop skills, engage in productive work, make choices about their daily lives and participate fully in community life. Specifically, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)created an Office of Disability which is responsible for leading the HHS New Freedom Initiative; oversee, coordinate, develop and implement disability programs and initiatives within HHS that impact people with disabilities; ensure that persons with disabilities across the lifespan have a voice within HHS; and heighten the interaction of programs within HHS and with federal, state, community and private sectors. Additionally, it discusses emergency preparedness for people with disability at all levels, including federal, state, tribal, and community levels.
-
(No author).
(2005).
Preparing Health Professions Students for Terrorism, Disaster, and Public Health Emergencies: Core Competencies.
Academic Medicine.
Vol. 80,
Issue 6.
The recent increase threat of terrorism, coupled with the ever-present dangers posed by natural disasters and public health emergencies, clearly support the need to incorporate bioterrorism preparedness and emergency response material into the curricula of every health professions school in the nation.
(Available via licensed database.)
-
Kailes, June Isaacson.
(2005).
Disaster Services and "Special Needs": Term of Art or Meaningless Term?.
Nobody Left Behind, University of Kansas.
This publications discusses and analyzes the term "special needs," the definition of the term, who it includes, and why people with disabilties need to be included within society.
-
(No author).
(2005).
DHS Organization; Department Structure; Office for Hurricane Katrina Oversight; PCIE and ECIE - Oversight of Gulf Coast Hurricane Recovery, A 90-Day Progress Report to Congress, December 30, 2005.
President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency.
The 141-page document reports on investigations ensuring that federal response and recovery funds are spent appropriately, those attempting to defraud the government are brought to justice, and those responsible for the relief efforts are wise stewards i
-
(No author).
(2005).
Real Stories, Real Loss.
National Spinal Cord Injury Association.
Examples of the actual experiences of people with spinal cord injury impacted by the Gulf Coast storms. Their stories are sadly typical, and our hope is that their experiences will not be entirely in vain, but help with the effort to establish effective emergency preparedness and disaster relief policies and systems. These stories can and should have been about needs being met, rather than lives being compromised.
-
Picard, Cecil J.
(2005).
Federal Funding for Districst that Enrolled Hurricane Displaced Students.
LA Department of Education.
The document is from the LS State Superintendent stating that Congress is working on the budget for the schools that enrolled extra students due to their displacement by the hurricanes.
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(No author).
(2005).
Quarterly Meeting Notes.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security: Interagency Coordinating Council on Emergency Preparedness and Individuals with Disabilities.
The paper is a recap of a quarterly meeting of the Interagency Coordination Council on Emergency Preparedness and Individuals with Disabilities. The meeting included a presentation on the impact of the hurricanes on people with disabilities in the Gulf Coast area, and the actions that ICC was taking to provide relief. There were also updates from the Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, Federal Communications, and Homeland Security. There was also a section of Question and Answer.
-
(No author).
(2005).
Register for Assistance: Tennessee.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security: Federal Emergency Management Agency.
This site has information for registering with FEMA. The information here is geared towards persons in Tennessee. There is nothing specifically pertaining to persons with disabilities.
-
(No author).
(2005).
FAQ: Hurricane Katrina Frequently Asked Questions.
MS Department of Education.
FAQ website provides answers to questions of Mississippians who are recovering from the Hurricane and want to get specific services. It also provides contact information after the answer for each question.
-
(No author).
(2005).
Hurricane Katrina: Its Impact on People with Disabilities.
National Organization on Disability.
The National Organization on Disability (N.O.D.) has collected and listed articles that focus on the impact of Hurricane Katrina on people with disabilities. The articles provide information on disability concerns in the affected areas, news reports and
-
(No author).
(2005).
Hurricane Katrina Response.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Generally details HUD response to Katrina; addresses HUD efforts to asses "issues and needs and review education and outreach strategy being developed to support Disaster Relief Centers (DRC) on fair housing and civil rights issues" for those with disabilities. This report includes some information on persons with disabilities.
-
(No author).
(2005).
EPI Press Conference regarding report on SNAKE teams' assessment of Katrina response and rescue efforts.
National Organization on Disability.
This transcript includes the briefings given by Secretary John Hager (Education Rehabilitation Services at the Department of Education) and Hilary Styron (Head of the Emergency Preparedness Initiative) during the EPI Press Conference. Secretary Hager gav
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(No author).
(2005).
Fact Sheet on Additional Hurricane Support for Children and Adults with Disabilities.
U.S. Department of Education: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services.
This article briefly describes how OSERS is assisting people with disabilities affected by the Hurricanes, by providing funding assistance to agencies well placed to help these people. The office is providing more than $2 million to CILs to be used for r
-
Bradshaw, Jim.
(2005).
Hurricane Victims with Disabilities Receive Assistance through Department of Educaiton.
U.S. Department of Education.
The web page is a notice announcing that President Bush has signed a law granting the U.S. Education Department authorer to permit states in the Gulf Coast area a large sum of money for vocation rehabilitation services for people with disabilities. The VR services could include education, training, technology and other services that would be necessary for employment.
-
Martin, Jane.
(2005).
LA Early Steps--Katrina and Rita Information.
Hurricane Recovery LA.
The website provides links for families and providers displaced by Hurricane Katrina and Rita, but it does not specifically address individuals with disabilities.
-
Picard, Cecil J.
(2005).
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Issues Related to Special Education.
LA Department of Education.
The document is from the LS State Superintendent and specifically address students with special education needs. The document was supposed to have an attachment with Questions and Answers for Directors and Supervisors in regards to meeting the needs of special education students. However, the document is not attached.
-
(No author).
(2005).
Emergency Evacuation of People with Physical Disabilities from Buildings: 2004 Conference Proceedings.
U.S. Department of Education.
A two-day conference on Emergency Evacuation of People with Physical Disabilities was held Oct. 13-14, 2004. The conference provided a forum to discuss: the impact of building and life safety codes on the evacuation of people with physical disabilities from buildings; the current evacuation procedures for people with physcial disabilities from the first responder perspective; the experiences of people with physical disabilities during emergency evacuations from buildings; the design and development of different types of evacuation devices; and the current state of research on mobility equipment, human factors, and egress modeling. There were keynote speakers and panel discussions on building and life safety codes; current practices of emergency management and first responders toward evacuation of persons with physical disabilities; current state of evacuation devices. There was a user perspective and demonstrations of state-of-the-art research.
-
(No author).
(2004).
Selected Social Characteristics, 2004: Alabama.
U.S. Census Bureau.
This data gives selected social characteristics for areas in Alabama affected by the hurricanes. This data does include some information on disability, however, it is not very extensive.
-
(No author).
(2004).
Selected Social Characteristics, 2004: New Orleans city, LA.
U.S. Census Bureau.
This data gives selected social characteristics for areas in New Orleans affected by the hurricanes. This data does include some information on persons with disabilities, however, it is not very extensive.
-
(No author).
(2004).
Selected Social Characteristics, 2004: Mississippi.
U.S. Census Bureau.
This data gives selected social characteristics for areas in Mississippi affected by the hurricanes. This data does include some information on disability, however, it is not very extensive.
-
(No author).
(1905).
Any School District School Occupational Safety and Crisis Response Plan.
MS Department of Education.
This document is very comprehensive and details all processes for all emergency situations, including natural disasters, missing children, criminal activity, bomb threats, and child injury. It explains how to help children and how to assist those in charge.
-
Basler, Barbara.
(1905).
Defensive Strategies.
Hoboken, NJ, US; John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Vol. 46,
Issue 10.
Pp. 16-18.
Discusses the readiness of communities to provide for their special-needs residents during disasters. Most communities have not considered the issue of how to evacuate people with special needs, let alone made specific plans, but watching the response in New Orleans, LA, to Hurricane Katrina may change that. Congressional hearings probing the botched evacuation of the city are already under way. However, disaster managers say what happened in New Orleans could have happened in other cities and towns. With its large older population and its vulnerability to hurricanes, Florida is one of the few states to have developed a comprehensive program. Linn County, Iowa, developed its own special-needs plan, without any help from the state, and has been cited as a model by federal emergency officals and by the National Association of Counties. A sidebar presents an interview with Representative Peter King, R-NY, head of the House Homeland Security Committee.
(Available via licensed database.)
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Polatin, Peter B.; Young, Mark; Mayer, Maile; Gatchel, Robert.
(1905).
Bioterrorism, stress, and pain: The importance of an anticipatory community preparedness intervention.
Journal of Psychosomatic Research.
Elsevier Science.
Vol. 58,
Issue 4.
Pp. 311-316.
This article reviews the accumulating scientific evidence demonstrating the negative impact caused by a cataclysmic event, such as bioterrorism, on the mental health of a community. Moreover, the potential mental health problems created by the continuing threat of possible future events are discussed. This close link among disaster events, stress, pain, and psychopathology is presented from a biopsychosocial perspective. Although there are now efforts being systematically developed to prepare for possible future biological or chemical terrorism events, there is currently also a critical need for early mental health intervention in response to future attacks to decrease psychiatric sequelae, especially workforce illness and morbidity. In this article, examples of such emergency bioterrorism preparedness, incorporating a major focus on mental health issues, are reviewed. Although these are now recognized needs, there is still not a concerted effort to prepare the population for the mental health sequelae that would be produced by such events.
(Available via licensed database.)
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(No author).
(1905).
Safe Evacuation for Students with Disabilities.
This article discusses how schools should prepare for natural emergencies when they have students with disabilities.
(Available via licensed database.)
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Brock, Stephen E.; Sandoval,Jonathan; Lewis,Sharon.
(1905).
Preparing for crises in the schools: A manual for building school crisis response teams (2nd ed.).
Hoboken, NJ, US; John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Presents a step-by-step guidebook for advance preparation and early response to school crises. Specifically, the authors provide a chapter on the early detection of potentially violent students (with concrete ideas on how to proactively respond to the special needs of these youth), anecdotal vignettes illustrating actual school crises and the responses by school personnel, a blueprint for crisis response training (including a complete in-service workshop designed to facilitate crisis intervention skill development), and guidelines for responding to the unique opportunities and dangers presented by media attention. Recommendations for helping to ensure student and staff safety and security before, during, and after crises; suggestions for assessing crisis response plan readiness; and guidelines for debriefing and evaluating a school crisis response are also discussed.
(Available via licensed database.)
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Neal,W.; Kieffer,S.
(1905).
Preparing pediatric home care patients for a medical emergency.
Caring.
Unknown Publisher.
Vol. 17,
Issue 5.
Pp. 48-50.
Discusses the necessity that the families and providers for children with special health care needs living at home be prepared for possible medical emergencies. It is recommended that parents, physicians, and emergency medical services personnel work as a team in this endeavor.
(Available via licensed database.)
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(No author).
(1900).
Emergency Preparedness.
U.S. Department of Labor: Office of Disability Employment Policy.
DisabilityInfo.gov is a comprehensive online resource designed to provide people with disabilities with quick and easy access to the information they need. With just a few clicks, the site provides access to disability-related information and programs available across the government on numerous subjects, including benefits, civil rights, community life, education, employment, housing, health, technology and transportation.
-
(No author).
(1900).
School-Level Public Counts and Percentages.
LA Department of Education.
The web page is a link to a database that has site-level public studfent "multi-stats" for school year 2005-2006 that shows student relocation/recovery related to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
-
(No author).
(1900).
Minority Serving Institutions.
U.S. Department of Transportation.
This is a web page sponsored by DOT that is committed to ensuring the minority populations are receiving fair opportunities and treatments at colleges and universities.
-
(No author).
(1900).
Meeting the Needs of Katrina Evacuees.
U.S. Department of Education.
This site talks about the Katrina evacuees, specifically in regards to education. Part of the website mentions the Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Act of 2005. Specifically, the website mentions that almost $26 million in federal funds were made available to the affected states.
-
(No author).
(1900).
Emergency Preparedness and People with Disabilities.
American Association on Health and Disability.
The manual references websites by category (city government, consumers with various disabilities, consumers with specific disabilities, elderly population, emergency managers and planners, employers, employees, facility managers, first responders) targeted to help certain populations in emergency preparation for persons with disabilities.
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(No author).
(1900).
2005 Hurricane Relief: Local Agency Recovery Efforts.
Catholic Charities.
This article includes the agencies that were primarily impacted by the Hurricanes and how they have been dealing with it. The agencies are actually located all over the country. There is not any information here specifically pertaining to persons with disabilities.
-
(No author).
(1900).
Information Related to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita for People with Disabilities.
LA Protection and Advocacy System.
This is a screen capture of a webpage which includes documents and resources for people with disabilities who are need of services following Hurricane Katrina.
-
(No author).
(1900).
Additional Support for Hurricane-Displaced Students.
U.S. Department of Education.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings convened a group of mental health experts and school officials in October and November for a series of round- table discussions on how to best help students and educators cope with the tragedy. "Our efforts are ongoing, and our support is unwavering to ensure that these children continue to receive a high-quality education and that school officials have the support they need from us under these unique circumstances," said Secretary Spellings. Region that serve them, the Department awarded LA a $20.9 million grant to help reopen charter schools damaged by the hurricanes, create 10 new charter schools, and expand existing charter schools to accommodate disability. Teachers Ask the Secretary a public school teacher who has a bachelor's degree,full state certification and demonstration of subject-matter competency for each core academic subject taught.
-
(No author).
(1900).
Katrina Aid Today Fact Sheet.
National Disability Rights Network.
The document provides the mission for the National Disability Rights Network and gives contact information for active NDRN members.
-
(No author).
(1900).
Report on Special Needs Assessment for Katrina Evacuees (SNAKE) project.
National Organization on Disability.
This report describes the operations, findings, and recommendations of the SNAKE project initiated by N.O.D. The main purpose of this project was to capture time-sensitive data to highlight the impact of Katrina on the special needs population, through direct observation and sampling of experiences. The findings focus on the preparedness of, and problems faced by people with disabilities during and in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Their observations reveal that the government experienced systemic failures at all levels in their efforts to respond to the needs of the disability and aging populations. The report highlights the major issues involved, and gives recommendations for future planning. The recommendations include seeking out and utilizing the expertise of the disability community, and people with disabilities increasing their familiarity with the emergency protocol. It is hoped that the report will be helpful in addressing immediate challenges and immediate actionable corrections, and will support the review and implementation of corrective actions and new protocols.
-
(No author).
(1900).
County Level Disaster Preparedness and Response for Persons with Mobility Impairments: University of Kansas Nobody Left Behind Study.
University of Kansas, Beach Center on Disability.
The map of the US indicates that 30 counties that recently experienced a natural disaster were randomly selected to obtain information about emergency preparedness and recovery for persons with disabilities. The study indicates that FEMA Emergency Planning and Special Needs Course pertaining to people with disabilities appears to be useful in increasing county awareness, although only 27% of county emergency managers reported having taken it; people with disabilities either were not represented or had minimal representation in the emergency planning process; surveillance efforts to identify persons with mobility impairments are weak. Recommendations include improving training, surveillance, inclusion of persons with disabilities, and emergency management plans
-
(No author).
(1900).
Hurricane Resouces.
LA Department of Health and Hospitals.
The paper contains lists of agencies and telephone numbers for hurricane assisstance
-
(No author).
(1900).
Hurricane Education Recovery Act.
U.S. Department of Education.
The document is the statute the Hurricane Recovery Act, a one time act set to help schools in the Gulf Coast area recover from the hurricanes.
-
(No author).
(1900).
Emergency Preparedness for People with Disabilities and Other Special Needs:Another Look After Katrina.
Disabilitypreparedness.org.
The publication defines who people with disabilities are, the legal requirements to include this population within emergency planning, lists specific measures in order to include people with disabilities in emergency planning.
-
(No author).
(1900).
FY 2005 Annual Report on Fair Housing.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
This annual report on the state of fair housing includes the programs and assistive measures taken by HUD to help people displaced by the hurricane. Individuals with disabilities are taken into detailed account in the report.
-
(No author).
(1900).
Resource for Katrina Evacuees.
Independent Living Research Utilization.
This is a list of resources for evacuees of Hurricane Katrina. The first section is disability specific resources.
-
(No author).
(1900).
National Disability Rights Network Checklist for UCP Affiliates Providing Disaster Relief.
United Cerebal Palsy.
Very comprehensive cite, including outreach, access to shelters, information and referral, Medicaid, FEMA benefits, keeping families together in shelters, unemployment benefits, food stamps, social security, durable medical equipment, public housing and section 8, other housing issues, education, coordination w/ other disability groups, state legislative needs
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Blanck, Peter David.
(1900).
Disaster Mitigation for Persons with Disabilities: Fostering a New Dialogue; A report of The Annenberg Washington Program in collaboration with The President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities.
The Annenberg Washington Program.
This collaborative report is meant to stimulate discussion of the issues and search for answers to problems. Although it is based on discussions with many people, it calls for much broader dialogue and research to address issues at the nexus of communications policy and disaster relief for persons with disabilities. Advance preparation is key to helping persons with disabilities survive a disaster.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 this shortcoming. The challenges ahead will be overcome only by an ongoing dialogue among these and other groups. Seven key principles should guide this dialogue: (1) accessible disaster facilities and services; (2) accessible communications and assistance; (3) accessible adn reliable rescue communications; (4) partnerships with the media; (5) partnerships with the disability community; (6) disaster preparation, education, and training; and (7) universal design adn implementation strategies. These seven points reflect an emerging consensus about how best to respond to the needs of people with disabilities before, during, and after a disaster.
-
Holbrook, Stephanie.
(1900).
Information for Host Families who Will Take in Families with Disabled Children.
The ARC of LA: Hurricane Recovery.
The web page announces that there are reading and educational services available to families who are housing children who are blind or have physical mobility handicaps.
