Plan2Prepare Program Plan

Shenella R. Solomon
Health Communication and Advocacy HLTH 634-D01
August 24, 2017
 Program Plan Outline

Title of project - Plan2Prepare

Author - Shenella R. Solomon
Problem/Need statement Vulnerable populations have circumstances that create barriers to
obtain and understand information or the ability to react as the general population during
disasters or emergencies. Identification of vulnerable populations is needed to determine which
populations are not prepared and how to prepare the vulnerable population. Such interventions
are needed to mitigate risk and preserve life. According to Bethel et al research has shown that
vulnerable populations such as those with poor health, disabilities, and chronic diseases are at an
increased risk of adverse health outcomes resulting from natural disasters.1

Goals
1. Prepare to identify, locate, engage, and communicate with vulnerable populations.
2. Provide training to professionals on how to assist vulnerable populations.
3. Provide resources for vulnerable populations in communities for preparedness at
community expo.
4. Engage internal and external organizations to provide assistance with resources and
supplies.
5. Conduct and evaluate preparedness and response through expos, drills, exercises, and
training to prepare the community.

Objectives
1. Provide necessary resources to vulnerable populations.
2. Professionals will learn how to communicate with populations to build trust.
3. Resources needed will be identified and obtained for distribution.
4. Internal and external organizations will build working relationships throughout the
community.
5. Communities will learn how to respond during a disaster and emergencies through
attending community expo, active involvement, and practicing plans.

Sponsoring agency/Contact person - El Paso Health Department/Sara Saucedo

El Paso Health Department is a local government agency with a mission that is consistent with
Plan2Prepares objectives. The mission is Provide Public Health related research, evaluation,
education, prevention, intervention, and preparedness services.2
For more information about Plan2Prepare contact Shenella Solomon at Ssolomon1@liberty.edu
or visit the program website at http://plan2prepare.weebly.com.

Primary target audiences

1. BehavioralPeople who have limited access to social media, internet, and cable such as
the elderly population who live on their own.
2. CulturalPeople who have limited proficiency in English and non-speaking English
such as immigrant and DREAMERers Development Relief and Education for Alien
Miners and people who experience geographic or cultural isolation.
3. DemographicPeople living in poverty, low-income and inadequate housing lack the
capability to obtain necessary resources and to stockpile supplies. People who do not
have transportation.
4. PhysicalThe old and young are particularly vulnerable during disasters. The old may
have medical problems and medicine dependency. The young have yet to develop the
knowledge they need to obtain resources and lack being independent.
5. PsychographicPeople who do not want to leave their home and tend to want to wait
out the event/disaster and believe the current location is the place for a home. People who
also value pets and are not willing to leave the affected areas without.

Primary target key strategies

Plan2Prepare target populations will include the elderly, people with disabilities, people from
diverse cultures, socioeconomic status, and medical issues. The action used would be to help
identify their needs to assist the vulnerable population during a time of emergency or disaster.
Barriers would include communicating with the elderly due to unavailable communication
approaches such a cell phone and social media. Diverse cultures such non-English speaking
populations would not allow accurate communication methods and comprehension of
communications. Socioeconomic status in low-income households and in the homeless would
have barriers such as lack of finances to obtain necessary supplies to survive. Individuals with
disabilities would have a barrier in transportation methods or would require certain medications
and medical treatment.
Benefits of key strategies to identify these populations would include preservation of life,
prevention of adverse health effects in populations, provide resources for specific needs and
concern. The communication program would provide a level of trust in the community to seek
assistance from others in the community during a disaster or emergency. Channels of
communication that would be used are social media, local news and radio stations, community
expos and publications that would be mailed to residents in the community without internet
access.

Secondary target audiences

1. Caregivers that live with or make home visits that provide care to individuals.
2. Family members that do not live around the vulnerable populations.
3. Providers working in healthcare facilities such as specialty provider, behavioral health,
social work services who would be needed to assist with individuals needing assistance
before, during, and after a disaster.

Secondary target key strategies

The key action strategies for caregivers, family members and providers would be mitigation, risk
prevention, support and ongoing medical care and interventions. Barriers for the strategy would
include the willingness of the caregiver to assist in a time of need when the caregivers own
family may need assistance during a disaster or emergency. Family members living in different
locations may not be able to be contacted or are unknown especially in the homeless population.
Provider shortages and fatigue can create a barrier in ongoing care in areas such as medical
treatment, social work services and behavioral services.
Benefits of the secondary target audiences include developed relationships and trust in caregivers
are already formed. Family members can offer assistance in relocating individuals out of the area
when needed. Providers can assist with providing needed medical care, emotional support,
counseling, and advocacy services. Channels of communication would be through on-call roster
and identified shift work to mitigate fatigue in providers.

Pretest strategy
Questionnaires will be mailed to residence in the community in a prepaid postage return
envelope. The questionnaire would provide qualitative and quantitative data on specific needs of
households to include having an emergency kits with supplies for three days and an evacuation
plan.

Theoretical foundation - The health behavior theory that will be utilized by Plan2Prepare is the
Community Organization Theory, due to the involvement and input which is needed from the
community to identify vulnerable individuals and necessary needs. The theory would bring
together residents, specialists and individual subject matter experts who can identify those
specific preparedness issues through knowledge and first line experience. The community would
be able to work together to obtain knowledge of known and unknown vulnerable population
through active involvement in expos and work group meetings.

Management chart
Tasks Responsible Persons Timeframe
Advertisement/ Marketing Program Staff 1 month prior to expo

Expo Registry Program Staff 1 month prior to expo

Expo Set up Program Staff/Outside 2 days prior to expo

Satisfaction Surveys
Expo Evaluation meeting
with key stakeholders
Distribution of
evaluation/lesson learned to
key stakeholders
agencies participating
Program Staff 1 week after expo
Program Manager 1 week after expo
Program manager 1 week after evaluation
meeting

Yearly budget for monthly expos

Staff of 20 personnel $50,000
Advertising/Marketing $49,000
Education material $ 5,000
Supplies (i.e. emergency kits and vehicles) $10,000
Community Expo Location (Community Center) $0.00
Total $114,000.00

Budget Justification
Plan2Prepare will use social media, internet, printed flyers, local television channels and radio
stations to communicate messages to the community about the community expo. Various sources
of information are needed due to the demographics of the vulnerable populations and the
inability to receive communication of information due to socioeconomic status, and geographic
location. Communication will be needed in English and Spanish due to a large Spanish
population. The facility for the expo will be at no charge to the program. The overall program
will need 20 personnel to coordinate, set and execute the expos.
Resources
Required
- Volunteers for expo events
Needed
- Volunteer medical professionals
- Vehicles for transportation
- Food and water donations
Available
- Community Center for expos
- Tables and chairs
- Local agency for expo exhibits (i.e. American Red Cross, Emergency Management, and
Public Health)

Issues of concern/potential problems

- Lack of funding
- Lack of interest in the program.
- Participants in expo will outnumber supplies on hand.

Evaluation strategies
After action reviews will be conducted involving all key stakeholders at the conclusion of the
expo to identify what went well, lessons learned, and areas for improvement in a written
document. The written document will be provided to key stakeholders for future expo planning.
Suggestions boxes will be available in at various location at the expos for participants input.
Satisfaction surveys will be mailed to residence who attended the expo.
References
1. Bethel, J. W., Foreman, A. N., & Burke, S. C. (2011). Disaster Preparedness Among
Medically Vulnerable Populations. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 40(2), 139-
143. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2010.10.020
2. City of El Paso Public Health. (2017). Retrieved from
https://www.elpasotexas.gov/public-health
3. http://plan2prepare.weebly.com