National Commission on Children and Disasters. 2010 Report to the ...

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Finally, the <strong>Commission</strong> continues to recommend that child care be incorporated as an essential service in the <strong>National</strong> Response Framework (NRF), the <strong>National</strong> Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF), 255 the <strong>National</strong> Disaster Housing Concept of Operations (CONOPS), and Disaster Housing Practitioners’ Guide. FEMA is in the process of updating the NRF, tentatively scheduled for release in 2011, and has committed to incorporating children’s needs into this revision. 256 The NDRF, the <strong>National</strong> Disaster Housing CONOPS, and the Disaster Housing Practitioners’ Guide were not finalized at the time of this report’s publication. Recommendation 6.3: HHS should require disaster preparedness capabilities for Head Start Centers and basic disaster mental health training for staff. The Head Start program has provided educational, health, nutritional, social, and other services to preschool-age children and their families since its inception in 1965, serving more than 27 million enrolled children. 257 Administered by the HHS Office of Head Start (OHS), the program awards grants to local public agencies, nonprofit and for-profit organizations, tribes, and school systems to operate Head Start centers at the local level. 258 In FY 2009, more than 900,000 children were enrolled in 49,200 Head Start classrooms. 259 In the 2007 reauthorization of the Head Start Act, 260 Congress required OHS to conduct an evaluation of the emergency preparedness of Head Start and Early Head Start programs and to make recommendations on how Head Start could improve its readiness for disasters. 261 In accordance with the Act, OHS conducted a survey of Head Start centers nationwide to determine the centers’ policies and plans for large-scale disasters. 262 OHS also developed and published a comprehensive guidance document, the Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual, which provides technical assistance to Head Start program 255 <strong>National</strong> <strong>Commission</strong> on Children and Disasters, “Comments: <strong>National</strong> Disaster Recovery Framework,” (Washington, DC: NCCD, February 26, 2010), 1, http://www.childrenanddisasters.acf.hhs.gov/20100224_NCCD_NDRFCommentsV04FINAL.pdf. 256 <strong>National</strong> <strong>Commission</strong> on Children and Disasters, “Progress Report on Children and Disasters: U.S. Agencies Take Modest Steps To Achieve <strong>Commission</strong> Goals,” 11. 257 Office of Head Start, “Head Start Program Fact Sheet,” Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Human Services,” http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ohs/about/fy2010.html. 258 Ibid. 259 Ibid. 260 Public Law (P.L.) 110-134. 261 “Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007,” http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/Program%20Design%20and%20Management/Head%20Start%20Requirements/H ead%20Start%20Act. 262 Office of Head Start, Head Start Emergency Preparedness Survey, ed. U.S. Department of Human Services (Washington, DC: HHS, December 15, 2009), 1, http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/Program%20Design%20and%20Management/Fiscal/Program%20Management/Ri sk%20Management/ACF-PI-HS-09-09-A1.pdf. 86 NATIONAL COMMISSION ON CHILDREN AND DISASTERS: 2010 REPORT
administrators and staff with respect to the creation and implementation of emergency preparedness plans. 263 As of the time of this report’s publication, OHS had not submitted recommendations for improving Head Start preparedness to Congress as required by the Act. OHS is revising regulations, including its mandatory performance standards for Head Start Centers. The <strong>Commission</strong> recommends that the OHS’ revised performance standards for Head Start centers incorporate emergency preparedness requirements, including: • An all-hazards emergency preparedness plan developed in collaboration with emergency management officials, reviewed and updated regularly, and shared with parents and the community, and that includes: o Plans for evacuating and relocating children and staff; o Plans for shelter-in-place and lock-down; o Plans to accommodate children with disabilities and chronic medical needs; o Plans for reunifying children and families or caregivers; o Roles and responsibilities of staff; o Emergency contact information for children and families, staff and volunteers, and key local, State and Federal partners, including emergency management; and o Plans for communicating with families, caregivers, and community members before, during, and after emergencies. • Regular training for all staff members on the emergency preparedness plan, policies, and procedures, and basic disaster mental health support. • Drills for evacuation, shelter-in-place, and lock-down. • Plans for providing mental and behavioral health support to children after an emergency or other crisis. It is critical that young children affected by disasters receive adequate mental and behavioral health support. Disasters expose young children to emotional trauma, which can have profound negative effects on child development. 264,265 As noted in other chapters of this 263 Administration for Children and Families, Head Start Emergency Preparedness Manual, ed. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Washington, DC: HHS, 2009), http://headstartresourcecenter.org/assets/files/EPrep%20Manual%20v22.pdf. 264 <strong>National</strong> Child Traumatic Stress Network, “Understanding Child Traumatic Stress,” U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, http://www.nctsnet.org/nccts/nav.do?pid=ctr_aud_prnt_under#q13. 265 Alan M. Delamater and E. Brooks Applegate, “Childhood Development and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder After Hurricane Exposure,” Traumatology 5, no. 3 (Miami, FL: Sage Publications, 1999): 20-27, http://www.fsu.edu/~trauma/a3v5i3.html. NATIONAL COMMISSION ON CHILDREN AND DISASTERS: 2010 REPORT 87
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NATIONAL COMMISSION ON CHILDREN AND
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ii The 2010 Report to the President
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Each new disaster presents distinct
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Contents Abbreviations.............
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EMSC Emergency Medical Services for
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Background The National</st
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Recommendation 1.2: The President s
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- Include pediatric expertise on th
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Recommendation 4.3: HHS should deve
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8. Child Welfare and Juvenile Justi
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11. Evacuation Recommendation 11.1:
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1. Disaster Management and Recovery
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A major impediment to the prioritiz
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children are a core consideration i
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Recommendation 1.2: The President s
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Recommendation 1.3: DHS/FEMA should
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The Commission rec
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2. Mental Health Recommendation 2.1
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2. Mental Health Recommendation 2.1
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Page 43 and 44: Recommendation 2.4: DHS/FEMA and SA
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Page 47 and 48: types of [enhanced] crisis counseli
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Page 54 and 55: children are largely unavailable or
Page 56 and 57: children may take several years, th
Page 58 and 59: As highlighted in the Commi
Page 60 and 61: Recommendation 3.3: HHS should ensu
Page 62 and 63: Recommendation 3.4: The Executive B
Page 64 and 65: Notwithstanding the need for greate
Page 66 and 67: Finally, the Commission</st
Page 69 and 70: 4. Emergency Medical Services and P
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Page 73 and 74: Recommendation 4.2: Improve the cap
Page 75 and 76: In addition, the Commission
Page 77 and 78: NDMS and DoD are not the only entit
Page 79 and 80: 5. Disaster Case Management Recomme
Page 81 and 82: 5. Disaster Case Management Recomme
Page 83: Not all disasters will involve disa
Page 88 and 89: The Commission rec
Page 90 and 91: In response to the Commissi
Page 94 and 95: eport, the chronic shortage of pedi
Page 98 and 99: expertise. 272 While most school di
Page 100 and 101: Recommendation 7.2: Congress and ED
Page 102 and 103: Recommendation 7.3: Ensure that sch
Page 104 and 105: Another mechanism through which the
Page 106 and 107: sources. 303 Without comprehensive
Page 110 and 111: . Respond to new child welfare case
Page 112 and 113: Recommendation 8.2: Ensure that Sta
Page 114 and 115: The Commission sup
Page 116 and 117: Toward the goal of ensuring that ju
Page 120 and 121: evisions to the standards were need
Page 123 and 124: 10. Housing Recommendation 10.1: Pr
Page 125 and 126: 10. Housing Recommendation 10.1: Pr
Page 127 and 128: corresponding tasks related to the
Page 129: Finally, the Commission</st
Page 134 and 135: evacuees. 382 States also have the
Page 136 and 137: The Commission sup
Page 138 and 139: Recommendation 11.2: Disaster plans
Page 140 and 141: planning for the evacuation of scho
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Appendix A. Study Approach The <str
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Appendix B: Index to Recommendation
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• Include bereavement support and
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Relevant Federal Agencies President
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• DHS/FEMA should clarify the tra
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● Relevant Federal Agencies Presi
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• Congress should authorize DHS/F
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Appendix C: Model Executive Order o
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2. Children and Disasters Advisory
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• Support disaster plans, trainin
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• When children exhibit signs of
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Appendix F. Supplies for Infants an
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Non-Perishable Supplies & Equipment
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Supplemental Information Descriptio
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Appendix G. Subcommittee Members an
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Richard Muth, National</str
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Also, the Commission</stron
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Children’s Research Center^ Churc
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Planning and Learning Technologies,
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Honorable Sheila Leslie Appointed t
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Honorable Mark K. Shriver, MPA Chai
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NATIONAL COMMISSION ON CHILDREN AND
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