The Office of Human Services Emergency Preparedness and Response (OHSEPR) promotes resilience of vulnerable individuals, children, families, and communities impacted by disasters and public health emergencies. OHSEPR provides disaster human services expertise to ACF grantees, partners, and stakeholders during preparedness, response, and recovery operations for emergency and disaster events.
Working closely with ACF Program Offices, OHSEPR coordinates ACF’s planning, policy, and operations for emergency and disaster preparedness, response, and recovery.
OHSEPR administers the Disaster Human Services Case Management (DHSCM) Program and the U.S. Repatriation Program. OHSEPR manages the ACF Continuity of Operation Plan, which directs how ACF’s mission essential functions are performed during a wide range of disruptions or emergencies.
Preparedness
OHSEPR coordinates with ACF Program Offices, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and federal departments and nongovernmental partners that comprise Emergency Support Function #6 — Mass Care, Emergency Assistance, Housing, and Human Services (PDF) of the National Response Framework to promote the inclusion of human services in emergency preparedness planning, training, and exercises.
As part of OHSEPR's administration of the U.S. Repatriation Program, OHSEPR coordinates with states to develop State Emergency Repatriation Plans that are aligned with the National Emergency Repatriation Plan. OHSEPR and its partners develop and exercise these plans to ensure that partners are prepared to support eligible U.S. citizens and their dependents who are returned to the United States by the Department of State because of destitution, illness, war, threat of war, or a similar crisis, and are without available resources.
Response
OHSEPR coordinates with ACF Program Offices, FEMA, and federal and nongovernmental Emergency Support Function #6 partners to identify and respond to disaster-caused impacts to human services providers and the communities that they serve.
OHSEPR also administers the U.S. Repatriation Program and is the lead federal agency for the domestic coordination of emergency repatriation operations to support U.S. citizens, their dependents and others who are overseas in returning to the United States following a Department of State coordinated mass evacuation.
Recovery
As part of OHSEPR's Disaster Human Services Case Management mission, OHSEPR leads federal Immediate Disaster Case Management operations when activated by FEMA under Emergency Support Function #6. OHSEPR augments the disaster human services capabilities of impacted states, tribes, territories, and local communities by deploying trained and credentialed case managers who connect disaster survivors to services and develop individual recovery plans.
Additionally, OHSEPR coordinates with ACF Program Offices to examine waivers and flexibilities that may be leveraged to support and facilitate community recovery.
Building National Disaster Human Services Capability and Leading ACF in Disasters and Emergencies
This video provides an overview of OHSEPR's two main missions, providing disaster human services expertise during preparedness, response, and recovery operations for emergency and disaster events, and leading the U.S. Repatriation Program.