Emergency Planning for Individuals with Access and Functional Needs

The following are resources to assist public health and health care with emergency planning for individuals with access and functional needs. Per HHS.gov/ASPR's Addressing the Access and Functional Needs of At-Risk Individuals, at-risk individuals are “people with access and functional needs that may interfere with their ability to access or receive medical care before, during, or after a disaster or emergency.”

• Who Might be Considered "At Risk" Populations During Disaster and Crisis
  Some individuals have and may have greater difficulty accessing the public health and medical services they require following a disaster or emergency.
• Defining "At Risk" Populations
  Compares and contrasts several definitions for "At Risk" Populations.

People with access and functional needs

• HSEM: Access and Functional Needs Toolkit
  Minnesota-specific toolkit to help when working with a variety of populations that may need extra assistance in a disaster.
• CDC: Public Health Workbook to Define, Locate and Reach Special, Vulnerable, and At-Risk Populations in an Emergency (PDF) 
  The Workbook from the CDC provides a process that can support state, local, and tribal planners as they advance in their efforts to reach all populations—and specifically, special populations—in day-to-day communication and during crisis or emergency situations.

• HHS emPOWER Map
  The HHS emPOWER Map displays the total number of at-risk electricity dependent Medicare beneficiaries by county or ZIP code. Users can use this data to plan for the needs of electricity-dependent individuals in their area.