The Role and Contribution of Occupational Therapy Services in Emergencies and Disasters Florida Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference Workshop

The Role and Contribution

of Occupational Therapy Services

in Emergencies and Disasters

Florida Occupational Therapy AssociationAnnual Conference WorkshopNovember, 2015 Orlando, FL

Michael J Steinhauer, OTR, MPH, FAOTAThe Steinhauer Group, LLCBoynton Beach, FL

Today’s Purpose

• To explain the 4 phases of emergency management and best understand how occupational therapists can best contribute to an emergency or disaster at these phases.

• To identify what role you as health care professionals have in working with emergency management planners, first responders, your organizations and in the communities you live and work.

Defining “Access and Functional Needs” Populations

Any individual, group, or community whose physical, mental, emotional, cognitive, cultural, ethnic, socio-economic status, language, or any

other circumstance that creates barriers to understanding or the ability to act/react in the

manner in which the general population has been requested to proceed.

OTs think functional challenges, not diagnostic categories

WHY PREPARE?

REALITY CHECKS:

46 percent of people with disabilities say they do not know whom to contact about emergency

plans for their community in the event of a crisis.

REALITY CHECK

53 percent of people with

disabilities say that they have not made plans to quickly and

safely evacuate their home or know who to contact for

assistance with preparing.

Only 20 percent of municipal emergency managers have specific

guidelines to assist people with mobility impairments during

emergencies

57 percent of emergency managers do not know how many people with mobility impairments live in their

jurisdiction

REALITY CHECK

Many people with disabilities in New

Orleans were evacuated

without their medicine, medical

equipment, wheelchairs or guide animals.

2003 California Wildfires: many were unable to see approaching danger or hear announcements to

evacuate. There was a lack of transportation for those unable to drive. Emergency telephones at

evacuation sites were not equipped for people who were deaf, and were not within reach of people in

wheelchairs.

Reality Check

Emergency planning is now learning to serve people with disabilities. Whole community approach: the more we know about all people in our communities, the

better we can meet our obligations for their reasonable accommodations as well as their medical and personal needs.

OTs are accommodation experts“Medicine will save your life.

OT will save your living!”

Lessons Learned

Americans With Disabilities Act Requirements (and many other federally related acts and statutes)

State/Local Legal Compliance: licensure acts, certification, accreditation, county contracts, insurance/HMO contracts, facility policies, etc.

Liability Issues for lack of planning at every level

Legal Basis for Emergency Planning Around Access and Functional Needs Populations

Emergency Phase 1

MITIGATIONMeaning:

The action of lessening in severity or intensity.

Hazards are mitigated, not people.

4 Phases of Emergency Management!

The OT role is substantial in Phases 2-3-4

MITIGATIONExamples:

• Buying flood insurance • Landscape around the home

• Cut overhanging trees • Improve infrastructure

• Assure shelter accessibility in your community


Emergency Phase 2

PREPAREDNESS

• Individuals, Families, Neighborhoods (Role for OT in every treatment setting)

• Personal Level Sheltering at Home or Evacuation (Role for OT)

• County Level (Role for OT)

• Within Organizations (COOP)


Emergency Phase 2: COOP-A Role for OTContinuity of Operations Planning for

Organizations: Identifying your Role and Contribution During an Emergency

• Preparedness for Caregiver and Clients• Readying the Physical Office Space (Command

Posts, Alternative Work Sites)• Prioritizing Clients

• Communications Planning• Providing Resources to the municipal EOC


PREPAREDNESSCity and County Municipal Planning Activities

• (Radiologic, Chemical, Weather, Communications, Evacuations, Transportation,

Warnings and Sirens, Resources like DME, Exercises, Drills)

• Registries in Some Counties• OTs: JOIN ADVISORY COUNCILS

4 Phases of Emergency Management

PREPAREDNESS(Related to your representation of

Self Determination Principles) • Self Determination• No One Size Fits All• Inclusion in Planning

• Equal Access• Physical Access

• Effective Communication• Program Modification


Emergency Phase 3

RESPONSE• Evacuation Planning at the Street Level (Planning

for transfers i.e., with transportation resources, access to reception centers and shelters)

• Services of a Reception Center (Role for OTs):Mental health, personal care and DME needs, assistive

communication technologies, etc.


RESPONSE• Meeting Equipment and Staff Needs

(Role for OTs)• Sheltering Options-General, Medical,

Functional Needs (Role for OTs):Personal care and DME needs, transfer

training, assistance with ADLs,

4 Phases of Emergency Management

Emergency Phase 4 RECOVERY

• County Long Term Recovery Committees• Case Management Assistance with FEMA Claims• Housing, transportation, and service needs after

the incident – community reintegration

ALL ROLES FOR OTs


Take a Break!

“ The mind can only absorb what the bottom can endure.”

10 Minutes

Inside the facility setting (hospital, SNF, ALF, DD group homes, etc): working with d-c planners, participating in COOP committees, assuring personal preparedness (see next slides).

In the community setting (home health, day care, outpatient, neighborhood associations, etc): personal/family/community preparedness

Integrating with municipal planners: advisory committees, reception centers, shelters

OT as an Emergency/Disaster

Resource

Inside an academic setting (schools, universities): working with COOP committees, enlightening your customers about personal/family preparedness.

Doing these things: • OTs assessing/treating evacuees (mental health, physical dysfunction, developmental disabilities, etc)• OTs identifying adaptive equipment resources, then individual needs, and complete order for response setting• OT representation during agency/facility exercises and drills• OT representation at the EOC• Evaluating need for personal care services in response setting• OT member of the COOP team for the agency/facility

OT as an Emergency/Disaster

Resource

Refresher: patient/client/resident education around emergencies and disasters: key aspects of

planning

1ST: Prepare to Stay at Home

Pet Safety Plan

Healthy Snacks/Cooked Food

First Aid Supplies

Prepare to Stay at Home

Battery Operated Radio, or Weather radio

Extra BatteriesFlashlights

Deck of cards, bookor something to dofor several hours

2ND: Prepare your Evacuation Kit

• Get some supplies for your kit

• Keep kit near the front door or closet

Prepare Your Evacuation Kit

ID

Cell Phone

Keys

A Little Money

Names, phone numbers of important contacts

Prepare Your Evacuation Kit

Medical Information

A Few Days Supply of Medicine

Supplies for Your Medical Condition

3RD: Plan for your Pets

• Crate or Cage and Leashes

• Special Diet Food or Pills

• Identifying Tags

• Favorite Toy

Here’s a Handy Device: Emergency Preparedness

Cycle

ABOVE ALL

Look out for your neighbor.

It is the right thing to do!!!

• Michael Steinhauer, OTR, MPH, FAOTAThe Steinhauer Group, LLC aka Midwest Emergency Planning Services9566 Sun Pointe DriveBoynton Beach, FL [email protected]

The contribution of OT is unique!Thank you folks

mailto:[email protected]

Documents

The Role and Contribution of Occupational Therapy Services in Emergencies and Disasters Florida Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference Workshop