The Need
The pandemic has illustrated how crisis preparation and a swift response can dramatically change the outcome in the wake of an emergency. Individuals with disabilities, who live in the community, may not have the support or resources needed to be adequately prepared for an emergency, putting them at increased risk when a crisis arises. Building the capacity for both emergency preparedness and rapid response in the face of disasters, such as fires, floods, or a pandemic, will ensure Coloradans living with disabilities are protected.
✅Initiative 7.01. - Emergency Response Plans - Completed
Project Achievements and/or Activities:
This project was intended to provide training and educational materials for providers in emergency preparedness. Through this project, HCPF in collaboration with the University of Colorado’s Center for Inclusive Design and Engineering (CIDE) achieved the following objectives:
- Developed a Learning Management System training course on emergency preparedness for providers.
- Offered five live training sessions.
Summary / Project Outcome:
This project focused on delivering emergency preparedness education to various target audiences, including Medicaid Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) providers and members. The project offered 80 course opportunities in three different formats:
- In-person at seven rural and urban locations across Colorado (Alamosa, Grand Junction, Frisco, Pueblo, Brighton, Greeley and Fort Morgan),
- Virtually through Zoom two times each, and
- Online through our website on our course management system (CMS) Moodle.
The project offered courses in-person, virtually, and online, in English and Spanish, across different schedules. Despite initial challenges with registration and attendance, the project successfully adapted and improved participant engagement.
✅Initiative 7.02. - Member Emergency Preparedness - Completed
Project Achievements and/or Activities:
In collaboration with the University of Colorado (CU) Center for Inclusive Design and Engineering (CIDE), emergency preparedness trainings were created. This includes training for providers in how to respond in an emergency and how to develop emergency response plans, provider focused trainings on how to prepare for an emergency, and a member focused training on how to use their back up power devices. Three member-focused trainings were developed in both English and Spanish. These trainings are found on the Center for Inclusive Design and Engineering website and are available for free to Medicaid members.
In-person live training sessions were held by CIDE for members and providers;
Course materials were added to the Learning Management System (LMS) library;
Disability specific Go-Kits were distributed to Medicaid members;
Back-up power devices were distributed to over 1,000 members across the state.
Summary / Project Outcome:
HCPF hired a vendor to develop and execute training for members in how to prepare members with disabilities, including those with behavioral health needs, for emergencies. The training addressed educational efforts, individual emergency plan development, and the distribution of resources and supplies.
In addition to providing training and educational materials to members, this project distributed “Go-Kits” and back-up power devices directly to members. These kits and devices allowed members to be prepared and keep their life sustaining devices powered during an emergency.
Over the course of this project, all milestones were met. Three member-focused trainings were developed in both English and Spanish; in-person live training sessions were held; course materials were added to the LMS library; disability specific Go-Kits were distributed to Medicaid members; and back-up power devices were distributed to over 1,000 members across the state.
External Facing Reports / Websites:
Emergency Preparedness Courses for Individuals and Families Website