Emergencies and natural disasters disproportionately impact people of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. The Children’s Bureau recently published a letter urging child welfare agencies to become leaders in planning for disaster equity. This means providing easily accessible and culturally responsive community-specific services and resources for disaster survivors that are tailored to mitigate disparities and support resilience.
To help agencies do so, the Children’s Bureau shares information and resources to support title IV-B and title IV-E agencies in embedding equity in their response to emergencies and natural disasters. The letter suggests several equitable practices that agencies can embed into their planning and coordination:
- Community engagement and collaboration
- Racial equity impact assessments
- Lived experience
- Culturally responsive disaster preparedness training
- Language and accessibility considerations
- Equitable distribution of resources
- Information and data sharing
- Consideration of staff needs