strengthening vulnerable populations through preparedness apc roadshow billings, mt july 16-17, 2009

Strengthening Vulnerable Populations Through

Preparedness

APC RoadshowBillings, MT

July 16-17, 2009

Goal

• At the end of this APC session participants will be able to assist vulnerable populations in their community by using the tools and resources described.

Presentation Objectives• Describe the process Montgomery County

went through to help prepare its vulnerable populations

• List at least two tools and/or resources identified in the presentation.

• Identify how one of the tools and/or resources in the presentation can be used in your community.

Multi-cultural Communication

Group Activity

Montgomery County Process

Why Prepare Vulnerable Populations?

• Katrina

Pictures from: www.cfcnca.org, katrinapictures.blogspot.com

Prior to Katrina vulnerable populations were susceptible to:

• Poor health conditions (chronic)

• Unemployment• Lack of insurance

(housing, health)• Lack of

transportation

• Dependency on social and health services

• Inequity or discrimination (social, racial, economic, geographic)*

*The Brookings Institution, Metropolitan Policy Program. New Orleans After the Storm: Lessons from the Past, a Plan for the Future. October 2005.

Basic Demographics

• 497 squares miles next to Washington D.C

• 931,000 persons• Affluent• Poverty level• High Cost of

Living• 125 different

languages

Definition of Vulnerable Populations

• Determined by your own population within your community and what populations will be most at-risk during an emergency event.

Montgomery County’s Vulnerable Populations

• Limited English Proficiency

• Economically disadvantaged

• Isolated from the community

• Physically or mentally challenged

• Pregnant Women

• Children• Homeless• Persons with chronic

conditions• Seniors• Minority groups

Identifying Gatekeepers (i.e., community health nurses, home health aides, Latino Health Promoters, public/private agencies)

Montgomery CountyEmergency Preparednessand Response Vulnerable

Populations CommitteeCounty Offices of:• PH Emergency Preparedness• Homeland Security• Community Affairs• Senior Health Promotion

• Aging and Disability• Police• Volunteer Center• Health Promoter Programs• Community groups, advocacy

groups, hospitals, assisted living facilities, group homes, nursing homes, and faith communities

BLIND PERSONS

National Federation of the BlindMontgomery County Chapter11923 Parklawn Drive, Suite 104Rockville, MD 20852Contact: Debbie Brown301-881-1892 (V-Home)202-707-0503 (V-Work)no e-mail address

GATEKEEPERS TO TARGET POPULATION: Persons who are Blind

American Council of the Blind1155 15th Street, NW, Suite 1004Washington, DC 20005202-467-5081 (V)202-467-5085 (FAX)info@acb.orgwww.acb.org

Maryland School for the Blind 3501 Taylor AvenueBaltimore, MD 21236410-444-5000 (V)410-319-5701 (FAX)info@mdschblind.orgwww.mdschblind.org

Metropolitan Washington Ear, Inc.35 University Blvd. EastSilver Spring, MD 20901301-681-6636 (V)301-681-5227 (FAX)information@washear.orgwww.washear.orgRadio, reading and information service.

Services for the Visually Impaired8720 Georgia Avenue, Suite 210Silver Spring, MD 20910301-589-0894 (V)301-589-7281 (FAX)info@servicesvi.orgwww.servicesvi.org

National Federation of the Blind1800 Johnson StreetBaltimore, MD 21230410-659-9314 (V)410-685-5653 (FAX)Linda J. McCartyDirector of Public Relations   lmccarty@nfb.orgPatricia A. MaurerDirector of Community Relationscommunityrelations@nfb.orgwww.nfb.org

Newsline for the Blind1-888-882-1629nfbnewsline@nfb.orgNewsline is a free 24-hour nationwide telephone service for people who are blind, visually impaired and/or unable to read a printed newspaper.

American Federation of the BlindGovernmental Relation Group820 First Street, NE, Suite 400Washington, DC 20002202-408-0200 (V)202-408-8172 (V)202-289-7880 FAX)afbgov@aft.netwww.afb.org

National Federation of the Blind of Maryland9013 Nelson WayColumbia, MD 21045410-715-9596 (V-Home)left voicemail for e-mail address

Tools/Resources• Plan to Be Safe Campaign

– Emergency Preparedness Checklist for Case Management and Home Care Services

• Emergency Preparedness Curriculum for Latino Health Promoters

• Emergency Preparedness Checklist for Nursing Homes, Assisted Living Facilities, and Group Homes

• Emergency Response Planning for Child Care Providers

Plan to Be Safe Campaign The Need• Simple• Not too many words (low literacy and

multiple languages)• Attractive• Cost effective• Need to encourage people to plan

(avoid what happened in Katrina)

Plan to Be Safe Campaign Development

• Initially wanted to target seniors

• Graphic Artist• Focus group of

department of recreation staff with seniors Washington Post 2-1-07 Thrasher

Washington Post 2-1-07 Thrasher

Plan to Be Safe CampaignMaterials

Plan to Be Safe Flipchart

Plan to Be Safe Training of Employees

Video

Presentation

Frederick & Anne Arundel Counties, MD

Plan 9 Hawaii

Plan 9 Billboard

Local Hospital-Plan 9

Integration into County and Community Programs• County Programs

– Aging and Disability– Department of Recreation– Community Health Nurses-Pregnant women

and families with young children– Health Promoters (lay-health community

leaders)– Health Clinics (HIV, STD, TB)

• Community Programs– Faith Community Nurses– Home Health Agencies– Home Visiting Programs

Case Management Tool

Case Management Evaluation

• Emergency Preparedness Checklist for Case Management and Home Care Services (which includes Plan to Be Safe messages).

• Aging and Disability Program (Plan 9 supplies)– Baseline: 50% had a 3-day supply of 5 or more

items.– 30 day: 62.5% had a 3-day supply of 5 or more

items– 90 day: 90.6% had a 3-day supply of 5 or more

items

Latino Health Promoter Curriculum• Purpose: To train

promotores de salud in Public Health Emergency Preparedness

• 3-Day training• Includes Plan to Be

Safe tools

Latino Health Promoters Evaluation• Emergency Preparedness in the Latino

Community: Training Manual for Health Promoters – Reported emergency preparedness

practices increased, to the point where all participants reported having talked with their families about emergencies and having an emergency plan after the third session.

• Easy to use checklist format

• Ensure a well prepared health care facility

Checklist for Nursing Homes, Assisted Living Facilities, and Group Homes

Nursing Home ChecklistEvaluation

• Montgomery County and State of Maryland have incorporated the checklist into its annual quality-of-care surveys of nursing homes and large assisted living facilities

• Many have updated their emergency plans, replaced generators, included shelter-in-place strategies.

Emergency Response Planning for Child Care Providers• Collaborative tool with

child care and public health

• Designed to plan and prepare child care providers for emergency events and to assist in the recovery effort by helping children cope with the traumatic event. 

• A train-the-trainer guide is included.

Child Care Evaluation

• Developed and tested with child care providers (family and center)

• State of Maryland has used it as a model for licensure requirements for family child care providers

• Continues to be improved-Fall 2009 COOP training module

Additional Tools/Resources

Pan Flu & Us-Materials• Toolkit available for

LHDs or others to host a similar conference in their locality

• Materials online only-in PDF, MS Word, and MS Publisher

• First step in relationship with home care

Seattle-King County, WA APC

• Vulnerable Populations-Equity in Emergency Response: Public Health Planning for Vulnerable Populations

• No Ordinary Flu Comic Book, Multiple languages

• www.advancepracticetoolkits.com

Socioeconomic and Racial/Ethnic Activity

Contact Information

Rachel AbbeyRachel.Abbey@montgomerycountymd.gov

Marta GillMarta.Gill@montgomerycountymd.gov

All tools and resources mentioned in this presentation can be found at:

www.montgomerycountymd.gov/apcOr NACCHO Toolbox at:

www.naccho.org/toolbox