Capella 4055 Assessment 3

Name

Capella university

NURS-FPX4055 Optimizing Population Health through Community Practice

Prof. Name

Date

Disaster Recovery Plan: Addressing Determinants of Health and Barriers

Elderly and Medically Vulnerable Populations

In Valley City, approximately 22% of the population consists of individuals aged 65 and older, many of whom live with significant health challenges that require chronic care and mobility aids. These health limitations present serious complications during disaster scenarios, such as evacuations and accessing emergency services, thereby increasing the risk to their well-being during crises.

Communication Impairments

Roughly 147 residents in the community live with hearing or speech disabilities and often depend on sign language or lip-reading for communication. During power outages or technological disruptions that frequently accompany disasters, these individuals face heightened danger due to limited access to critical alerts and support services.

Cultural and Language Limitations

With a 3% Latino population and many undocumented residents in Valley City, limited English proficiency presents a significant hurdle during emergencies. These communities may not receive timely updates or understand how to access medical services, which can intensify health disparities and safety risks during disasters.

Economic Constraints and Public Safety Cuts

Ongoing financial challenges have led to staff reductions in essential emergency services such as law enforcement and fire response. This reduction undermines the city’s capacity to effectively handle emergency situations, potentially delaying life-saving interventions.

Strained Medical Infrastructure

Valley City Regional Hospital is nearly operating at capacity, with 97 of its 105 beds occupied. In addition to this, outdated equipment and potential staff reductions due to budgetary issues compromise the hospital’s ability to respond to mass casualty events or public health emergencies.

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Interconnected Challenges in Disaster Response

Summary of Core Barriers

Challenge	Details
Limited Access for High-Risk Groups	Seniors, individuals with disabilities, and mobility issues struggle with shelter and evacuation.
Language and Legal Barriers	Immigrants fear deportation and lack access to multilingual emergency communications.
Reduced Emergency Response Capacity	Budget cuts in emergency services hinder timely disaster management.
Shelter Deficits and Homelessness	Inadequate shelter space forces unhoused populations to remain in unstable, unsafe environments.
Overburdened Hospitals	Aging infrastructure and staff shortages limit hospital preparedness for crisis surges.

As these barriers converge, they deepen disparities across marginalized groups. Elderly residents, immigrants, individuals with disabilities, and those experiencing homelessness are particularly vulnerable when disaster systems are not inclusive or well-resourced.

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Promoting Health Equity in Disaster Recovery

Equity-Centered Disaster Planning

Implementing inclusive strategies that emphasize cultural sensitivity and community engagement can help bridge access gaps. For instance, multilingual public messaging and inclusive training for disaster responders enhance equity across diverse populations (Kleinman et al., 2021).

Support Strategies for Older Adults

Mobile medical units, reliable transportation services, and collaborations with long-term care facilities are vital to address the needs of elderly and medically fragile populations during emergencies.

Identifying Social Vulnerability

The CDC classifies Valley City as socially vulnerable due to its aging, disabled, and unhoused residents, compounded by economic distress (CDC, 2024a). This designation highlights the urgent need for proactive, tailored interventions.

Enhancing Language Access

To reduce disparities, communication tools should incorporate visual, auditory, and multilingual options. Community-based outreach workers play a key role in addressing mistrust and promoting disaster response participation among immigrant groups (Dadson et al., 2024).

Economic Recovery Support

Research indicates that communities with limited financial resources recover more slowly unless there are targeted interventions to assist them (Census Bureau, 2023). Support programs for low-income groups should include housing, healthcare, and employment stabilization initiatives.

Fair Distribution of Resources

Deploying culturally competent healthcare and emergency professionals ensures that services and supplies are equitably distributed, especially to those who are historically underserved.

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Policy Influence and the CERC Framework

Legislative and Policy Foundations

Federal and state policies underpin disaster recovery efforts. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandates accessible shelters and communication for individuals with disabilities (ADA, 2021). These legal protections ensure inclusive planning.

Role of the CERC Model

The CDC’s Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) framework guides emergency communications through clarity, inclusiveness, and empathy (CDC, 2024b). During a local train derailment, deficiencies in empathetic messaging and inclusive outreach were highlighted as major gaps (Hostetter & Naser, 2022).

Legal Support for Emergency Recovery

The Stafford Act provides critical authority and resources to support healthcare infrastructure, housing, and data collection during federally declared disasters (FEMA, 2021). This act ensures that states receive necessary financial support to maintain operations and care delivery.

Emphasis on Preventive Measures

The Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018 (DRRA) promotes investments in disaster resilience before crises occur, including support for infrastructure upgrades and equity-focused recovery initiatives (FEMA, 2021). These initiatives align with long-term public health preparedness strategies.

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Overcoming Communication Barriers and Enhancing Collaboration

Strategies for Inclusive Emergency Communication

Approach	Implementation
CERC-Based Messaging	Apply CDC guidelines for clear, empathetic communication targeting all community members.
Multimodal Alerts	Use text, audio, and visuals to reach individuals with diverse language and sensory needs.
Unified Emergency Leadership	Develop integrated leadership across police, fire, and health departments for efficient response.
Centralized Coordination	Host routine interagency meetings to streamline resource sharing and avoid duplication.
Cultural Outreach Navigators	Deploy community liaisons to assist marginalized populations in navigating emergency services.

These strategies foster trust, efficiency, and inclusivity in disaster preparedness and recovery. By addressing both systemic barriers and individual needs, Valley City can enhance its resilience and uphold public health equity during emergencies.

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References

Abbas, R., & Miller, T. (2025). Exploring communication inefficiencies in disaster response: Perspectives of emergency managers and health professionals. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2025.105393

ADA. (2021). Introduction to the Americans with disabilities act. ADA.gov. https://www.ada.gov/topics/intro-to-ada/

Capella 4055 Assessment 3

Aldao, C., Blasco, D., Espallargas, M., & Rubio, S. (2021). Modeling the crisis management and impacts of 21st-century disruptive events in tourism: The case of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tourism Review, 76(4), 929–941. https://doi.org/10.1108/tr-07-2020-0297

Capella University. (n.d.). RN to BSN | online bachelor’s degree | Capella University. Capella.edu. https://www.capella.edu/online-nursing-degrees/bachelors-rn-to-bsn-completion/

CDC. (2024a, October 22). Social vulnerability index. Cdc.gov. https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/place-health/php/svi/index.html

CDC. (2024b, November). Crisis & emergency risk communication (CERC). Cdc.gov. https://www.cdc.gov/cerc/php/about/index.html

Census Bureau. (2023). QuickFacts: Valley City, North Dakota. Census.gov. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/valleycitycitynorthdakota/PST045223

Dadson, Y. A., Bennett-Gayle, D. M., Ramenzoni, V., & Gilmore, E. A. (2024). Experiences of immigrants during disasters in the US: A systematic literature review. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 27, 134–148. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-024-01649-8

Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2021, November 18). Stafford act. FEMA.gov. https://www.fema.gov/disaster/stafford-act

FEMA. (2021, July 6). Disaster recovery reform act of 2018 | FEMA.gov. FEMA.gov. https://www.fema.gov/disaster/disaster-recovery-reform-act-2018

Hostetter, H., & Naser, M. Z. (2022). Characterizing disability in fire evacuation: A progressive review. Journal of Building Engineering, 53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2022.104573

Capella 4055 Assessment 3

Kleinman, D. V., Pronk, N., Gómez, C. A., Gordon, G. L. W., Ochiai, E., Blakey, C., Johnson, A., & Brewer, K. H. (2021). Addressing health equity and social determinants of health through Healthy People 2030. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 27(6), 249–257. https://doi.org/10.1097/PHH.0000000000001297

Lee, S., Dodge, J., & Chen, G. (2022). The cost of social vulnerability: An integrative conceptual framework and model for assessing financial risks in natural disaster management. Natural Hazards, 114, 691–712. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-022-05408-6

Lloyd, G. (2023). Emergency preparedness and response: Examining rural hospitals (RHs) communication systems before, during, and after a natural disaster. Electronic Theses and Dissertations. https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/2672/