Disaster
Assistance
Disaster Preparedness Manual for the Aging Network
X. Disaster Advocacy and Outreach Program
A. Introductory Material
The disaster advocate and outreach program is developed after
a disaster to meet the special needs of older persons. Typically,
persons are employed to serve as advocates and may work with
older persons individually for as long as a year after the disaster.
The purpose of the advocate program is to provide the assistance
necessary for older persons to obtain access to needed services,
and to provide the personal and emotional support necessary for
frail or impaired older persons to work toward recovery. The
functions of a disaster advocate are:
1. Development of a sound knowledge base of various relief programs.
2. Conducting interviews with older disaster victims.
3. The assessment of the individual's needs.
4. Provision of reassurance and emotional support to older victims.
5. Determination of the best resources for meeting the older
person's needs.
6. Identification of individuals with needs exceeding the scope
of existing programs and seeking assistance in finding ways to
meet those needs.
7. Provision of on-going support and assistance in returning
to normalcy.
8. Provision of assistance in obtaining disaster services after
Disaster Application Centers have closed.
9. Assisting the individual in completing
forms, negotiations and appeals.
10. Providing assistance to older persons
in the Disaster Application Center. 11. Obtaining and helping provide interagency and public information.
12. Conducting door-to-door canvassing (outreach) to identify
older disaster victims, with multiple visits if necessary. Encouraging
and assisting them in using the teleregister system or the Disaster
Application Center.
13. Continuing to conduct outreach efforts after the Disaster
Application Center has closed.
14. Seeking to identify persons who have moved out of the area
so that they can be notified of the opportunity to apply for
disaster services.
15. Escort services for relocation and housing searches and
to multipurpose senior centers.
16. Neighborhood searches to find
isolated or "hidden seniors."
17. Follow up on lists of affected older persons received from
other providers and agencies to assure that older victims are
receiving services.
Alternative approaches may be used by States in a disaster response
depending upon the resources and structures available. The
same functions are performed, but social workers employed by
State and local programs may be utilized instead of hiring
advocates. In other situations, a matrix of existing programs
may be expanded to perform the functions described. Sometimes,
portions of all three alternatives may be combined to perform
these services to older persons. While numerous approaches
to the services may be used, it is important that the same
functions are performed.
It is critical that disaster advocates
work under the supervision of a disaster advocacy supervisor
who has the educational and
work experience necessary to help advocates determine when
individuals need assistance, especially mental health assistance,
beyond
the scope of their capabilities. A team concept should be used
with frequent, at least weekly meetings, to debrief. A particularly important responsibility
of Disaster Advocates is repeated efforts at follow-up. Older
persons must be recontacted
in person and by telephone as they may change their mind about
receptivity for assistance or may not ask for additional assistance
when assistance does not become available as anticipated. The
training manual, "Disaster Advocacy: A Training Program" addresses
these issues.
| Last Modified: 7/16/2009 9:05:49 AM |
|