OCS DCL-2024-07 National Preparedness Month 2024

Publication Date: September 19, 2024

Office of Community Services

Dear Colleague Letter

DCL#: OCS-DCL-2024-07

DATE: September 18, 2024

TO: OCS Grant Recipients, Partners, and Stakeholders

SUBJECT: National Preparedness Month 2024

ATTACHMENT(S): N/A

Dear Colleagues,

The Office of Community Services (OCS) is committed to supporting communities as they prepare for and respond to natural disasters and other emergencies. We are excited to observe National Preparedness Month this September and highlight the ways we work to ensure grant recipients and families have the tools they need to weather crises.

Because social inequities are often exacerbated by weather-related emergencies, OCS is committed to serving those with acute needs. This year, we will be sharing OCS-specific resources such as our OCS Disaster Flexibilities Hub — now with an updated list of policy guidance documents, and videos on disaster relief, including a new one focused on tornado disaster relief in Arkansas. We are also uplifting the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) work to raise awareness about disaster recovery, prevention, and resilience in Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities, as well as sharing mental health resources for populations afflicted by disaster.

Disaster Flexibilities Hub

The OCS Disaster Flexibilities Hub features critical resources to support communities before, during, and after emergencies and information on how OCS programs can be modified and deployed in a crisis situation.

The Disaster Flexibilities Hub features a live weather activity dashboard which provides information on:

  • Natural disasters across the country
  • Disaster declarations for the past three years
  • The number of OCS-funded agencies impacted during each disaster

Additional resources and tools for grant recipients and households include:

  • A disaster self-attestation template
  • Spotlight videos on how grant recipients are using OCS funds to address a variety of natural disasters
  • Tools to help individuals and families prepare for natural disasters and find help during and after a disaster, including shelters and FEMA disaster assistance
  • Social media graphics and drafted posts for easy sharing

To access the Disaster Flexibilities Hub , we recommend using either a Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge browser to ensure all content properly loads.

Video Spotlights

The following videos highlight how OCS programs have supported communities facing disaster:

Mental Health Resources

Disasters can have a profound effect on mental well-being for survivors and responders alike. The resources below may be of help to communities and service providers on the frontlines of disaster response:

  • The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provides several behavioral health resources for Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery . The Disaster Technical Assistance Center also provides disaster responders, planners, and survivors effective tools for mental health support.
  • SAMHSA’s Disaster Distress Helpline , tel:1-800-985-5990, is a 24/7, 365-day-a-year, national hotline dedicated to providing immediate crisis counseling for people who are experiencing emotional distress related to any natural or human-caused disaster. This toll-free, multilingual, and confidential crisis support service is available to all residents in the U.S. and its territories.
  • Psychological First Aid is an evidence-informed approach for assisting children, adolescents, adults, and families in the aftermath of a disaster. The field manual developed by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) includes handouts for parents, caregivers, as well as children up to 5 years old.

Thank you for your attention to these matters. OCS looks forward to continuing to provide high-quality services to OCS partners.

/s/
Janelle George
Deputy Director
Office of Community Services