+ No One Left Behind: Disaster Planning for People Experiencing Homelessness Health Care & Housing Are Human Rights Sabrina Edgington, MSSW | June 3, 2010.

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No One Left Behind:Disaster Planning for People Experiencing

Homelessness

Health Care & Housing Are Human Rights

Sabrina Edgington, MSSW | June 3, 2010

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Most Gulf Coast state, county, and parish evacuation plans lacked adequate procedures for communicating emergencies to special needs and hard to reach populations (Federal Highway Administration, 2006).

Only 10% of state and 12% of local government plans adequately addressed the evacuation needs of transportation disadvantaged individuals (GAO, 2006).

Only 30% of health centers had a role in their community’s emergency plan and even less participated in exercises (Weinman et al., 2007).

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Holy smoke!

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2010 Nashville floodKenny Chesney

Health Care & Housing Are Human Rights

+Social vulnerability

Set of characteristics of a group or individual in terms of their capacity to anticipate, cope with, resist and recover from the impact of a natural hazard

It involves a combination of factors that determine the degree to which someone's life and livelihood is at risk by a discrete and identifiable event in nature or society

Source: Blaikie, P., T. Cannon, I. Davis & B. Wisner. (1994). At Risk: Natural hazards, People's vulnerability, and disasters. London, Routledge.

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Source: Blaikie, P., T. Cannon, I. Davis & B. Wisner. (1994). At Risk: Natural hazards, People's vulnerability, and disasters. London, Routledge.

Health Care & Housing Are Human Rights

+Why is it important that we understand social vulnerability? We can minimize the

impact of disasters for people who are homeless by identifying and addressing factors that make people vulnerable to environmental hazards.

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+Major factors that influence social vulnerability

Access to resources (including information, knowledge, and technology)

Access to political power and representation

Social capital, including social networks and connections

Beliefs and customs

Age, gender, race

Health and physical ability

Source: Cutter, S., Boruff, B., & Shirley, W. (June 2003). Social vulnerability to environmental hazards. Social Science Quarterly, 84(2), 242-261.

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+Lack of access to resources

Limited capacity to take risk reduction measures Sheltering in place Avoiding congregate

settings (during pandemic flu)

Stockpiling food, water, and supplies

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+Lack of access to resources

Poor disaster communication Limited access to technology Instructions are targeted to people who are

housed and have resources to take risk reduction measures

Most communication is not “trauma-informed”

Transportation disadvantaged No transportation to evacuate

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+Limited access to political power and representation

People who are homeless are often unintentionally excluded from government emergency plans

Most preparedness campaigns are not applicable to people who are homeless

People who are homeless are not eligible for most FEMA housing assistance

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+Limited social capital, including social networks and connections

Many people who are homeless are isolated and have limited family/friend supports

Most people who are homeless will depend on homeless service providers for support and assistance.

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+Beliefs and customs

Consider the beliefs held by people who have been largely marginalized by society.

Consider how culture influences help-seeking behaviors, healing, trauma, and loss.

Consider how people from family-centered cultures will respond to a disaster.

How will language barriers be addressed?

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+Age, gender, race

Children and older adults are more vulnerable than young and middle aged-adults

Women are more vulnerable than men

Minorities are more vulnerable than non-minorities

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+Frail and physically limited individuals

High rates of physical disability

People who are homeless are sicker than people who are housed (unmanaged chronic disease, exposure to the elements)

27% - 33% of adults who are homeless have a serious mental illness (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2009; NAMI, 2007)

47% - 66% of homeless individuals have a substance use disorder (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2007; Burt, 1999)

75% of those who have a substance use disorder have a co-morbid non-substance related mental illness (Kertesz, 2006)

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+Action steps

Understand social vulnerabilities so that you might address factors that increase disaster risk

Learn how to better coordinate with other service providers and your local government.

Make sure your organization’s emergency management plan aligns with your local government’s emergency management plan. Know your role.

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+Contact information

Sabrina Edgington, MSSW, Policy Analyst

National Health Care for the Homeless Council

615/226-2292

[email protected]

www.nhchc.org/disasterplanning.html

Health Care & Housing Are Human Rights