ADA National Network Learning Session: Prepared4ALL: Whole Community Emergency Planning

Disasters and emergencies, like the current COVID-19 pandemic, disproportionately affect Americans with disabilities, chronic and mental health conditions (PWD). To close this gap AUCD developed Prepared4ALL, a public health campaign to link disability organizations and PWD to local emergency management and public health preparedness agencies. Developed with strong stakeholder input, Prepared4ALL aims to harness disability community strengths, with the goal of increasing the number of PWD and disability organizations that are actively engaged in local emergency/public health preparedness planning efforts.

The campaign includes: (1) An 8 module online, scenario-based course that teaches an evidence-based problem solving and collaboration method. Learners apply this approach as they learn about the American emergency management system, demographic and communication issues that may be new to emergency planners, and a collaborative method to identify disability-related gaps and areas of strength in local emergency plans. (2) "Pitch kit" communication and outreach materials and other tools for local disability organizations to use to for outreach to, and engagement with, local planners; and (3) ongoing technical support and coaching. The presentation will share training materials, the online course, toolkits, a workbook guide, the project website and related information, so that the program can be replicated.

Learning objectives:

At the end of this presentation participants will be able to:

• Describe the Prepared4ALL process (based on action learning, action research and appreciative inquiry) and explain how it applies to engagement and collaboration between disability organizations and local emergency and public health preparedness planners.
• Compare the knowledge and understanding gaps among the disability community and emergency and public health preparedness planners.

Presenters:

Adriane Griffen, DrPH, MPH, MCHES, is Senior Director of Public Health and Leadership, Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD). She is the Director of the National Technical Assistance and Training Center on Disability Inclusion in Emergency Preparedness.

Sue Wolf-Fordham, JD, MP is Senior Program Manager, Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) and Deputy Director, National Technical Assistance and Training Center on Disability Inclusion in Emergency Preparedness.