Office of Human Services Emergency Preparedness & Response

DISASTER CASE MANAGEMENT FOR LOCAL

COMMUNITIES

CDR Jonathan WhiteOffice of Human Services

Emergency Preparedness & Response

What is Disaster Case Management?

• A mode of helping—that could be provided by NGOs/VOADs, local, State, Tribal, Territorial, or Federal government agencies

• DCM provides survivor households with disaster-caused unmet needs to a single point of contact to access benefits, resources, and programs to address those needs.

Why DCM?

• For all disaster survivors, navigating the resource environment for recovery is challenging

• Systems are complex and often disjointed

• Disaster survivors are faced with these application and navigation processes just when they are most overwhelmed

Federal Disaster Case Management Program

• For States and Federally recognized Tribes in Presidentially declared disasters with Individual Assistance

• Requested by the State/Tribe• Joint FEMA-ACF Assessment• The Federal Coordinating Officer determines need for DCM,

and alternatives used including DCM State Grant and Immediate Disaster Case Management

• One alternative available to the FCO is activation of the ACF Immediate Disaster Case Management Program

• For definitive information, see FEMA Disaster Case Management Program Guidance:

www.fema.gov/media-library-data/20130726-1908-2403/dcm_pg_final_3_8_13.pdf

ACF IDCM Program

• One alternative available to FEMA based on FCO determination following joint ACF-FEMA Assessment Team mission

• ACF deploys contracted assets for up to 90 days (with potential for 45-day extension) per FEMA tasking

ACF IDCM Missions To Date

• AUG 2011: Massachusetts: June Tornadoes• OCT-NOV 2011: Vermont: TS Irene • OCT-NOV 2011: Pennsylvania: TS Lee• OCT-NOV 2011: Texas: Wildfires• OCT 2011-JUN 2012: New York: TS Irene &

Lee• NOV 2012-APR 2013: New Jersey:

Superstorm Sandy

• Housing• Food• Clothing• Furniture & appliances• Healthcare access• Behavioral health

referrals• Referrals to local/state

social services• Assistance with

FEMA/SBA application

• Child care and children/youth needs

• Aging services needs• Disability services

needs• Employment assistance• Financial counseling• Legal services referrals

What kinds of referrals can DCM provide?

Who are DCM clients?• 85.6% female-

headed households• 33.2% households

with children/youth under 18

• 24.75% households with adults over 65

• 47.4% households with income below $15,000/year

Data from IDCM New Jersey mission for Superstorm Sandy recovery, 2012-2013 (ACF Photo)

DCM is Unmet Needs-Based

DISASTER CASE MANAGEMENT

Unmet Needs-Focused “What disaster-caused needs do you have?”

“STEADY-STATE” HUMAN SERVICES PROGRAMSMeans-Tested “Is your household income below a certain

threshold?”

FEMA-SBA SEQUENCE OF DELIVERYLoss-Based “What personal property did you lose in the

disaster?”

Preparedness

• If there were a disaster in your community, who would provide DCM?

• How integrated are human services and emergency management in your community?

Disaster Human Services

• DCM is just one piece of the puzzle• ACF-supported human services programs

are critical to comprehensive disaster human services

• ACF OHSEPR and your region’s ACF Regional Emergency Management Specialist (REMS) are available to assist you in disaster human services planning

For More Information

ohsepr@acf.hhs.gov