Project Description:
Objective 3.06: Project REDD: Research and Education in Disaster and Disabilities
Project REDD was created in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in response to the overwhelming need of the over 400,000 individuals with disabilities that were displaced to the State of Texas following these disasters. Demographic differences have been reported to shape the risks that people encounter, how they prepare for disasters, and how people are affected when disasters occur (Mileti, 1999). Hemingway and Priestley (2006) suggest that people with disabilities "are disproportionately vulnerable to natural hazards primarily as a consequence of social disadvantage, poverty, and structural exclusion." (p. 54). However, few researchers have systematically studied the physical and social impacts of disaster on individuals with disabilities.
The Mission of Project REDD is to 1) conduct high-quality basic research and evaluation studies on the issue of disaster and its affects on individuals with disabilities and their families, and 2) provide research-based training and outreach on the topic of disability and disaster for communities, organizations, families, and individuals. Project REDD is engaged in continuing research on the case management and long term recovery of Hurricane Katrina survivors with disabilities. In addition, researchers with Project REDD are studying the experiences of individuals with disabilities sheltered in the general population during Hurricane Ike.
Project REDD has collaborated with a broad range of other academic and research entities in investigating issues of critical importance to individuals with disabilities affected by disaster including long-term recovery, case management, sheltering, and preparedness. Past and current collaborations have included researchers from the University of Texas Southwest Medical School, National Center on Post Traumatic Stress Disorders, the Independent Living Research Utilization Center at The Institution for Rehabilitation ResearchMemorial Hermann Hospital, and the University of Texas School of Social Work, as well as other organizations. Project REDD has also established linkages with other UCEDDs who conduct disaster research including researchers at the University of New Mexico, Utah State University, the University of Kansas, and the University of Wyoming and collaborates with these partners in research presentations with these partners at the annual meeting of the American Association of University Centers on Disabilities. Project REDD staff regularly present research professional conferences and venues including at the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, TASH: Disability Worldwide, Council for Exceptional Children, Disaster Education in Disaster Mental Health, American Association on Health and Disabilities, and at the Natural Hazards Center at Texas A&M University.
Project REDD provides training for consumers and service providers to assist with disaster recovery. Workshops have been presented at the Texas Homeland Security Conference, Texas Hurricane Conference, Texas Nursing Association, Houston Voluntary Agencies for Disasters, Brazos Valley Caregiver's Association, and at the Texas State Voluntary Agencies on Disaster Conference. Project REDD has collaborated with Texas Interagency Interfaith Disaster Response to train Katrina Aid Today case workers in Texas on disability-related services in the state.
Project REDD maintains a presence in the Texas disaster community by serving as a resource to agencies and organizations from the local level to the national level. Project REDD regularly communicates with the Texas Governor's Office, Advocacy Inc., the Disability Policy Consortium, Texas Interagency Interfaith Disaster Response, Central Texas Voluntary Agencies Active in Disaster, Gulf Coast Voluntary Agencies Active in Disaster, and the Texas Department of Health and Human Services.
Project REDD, with direct support from the Center on Disability and Development at Texas A&M University, has produced two resource guides; the Disaster Acronym Guide and the ?exas Guide to Supports and Services for Individuals with Disabilities and Their Families Affected by Disasters and disseminated over 8,000 of these resources throughout the state as well as nationally to other organizations providing disaster-related services to individuals with disabilities.
Funding for Project REDD has come from a range of public and private sources including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Association of University Centers on Disability, and the National Disability Rights Network.
Project REDD Annual Narrative 2016
Project 3.03: Project REDD: Project REDD: Research and Education on Disability and Disaster, conducts basic research on the effects of disaster on individuals with disabilities, as well as evaluation research on projects that deliver direct services to these individuals. Project REDD also provides research-based workshops, presentations, technical support, and products for practitioners in the field of emergency management.
Over that last year, Project REDD staff participated in publishing several research articles accepted, including
Stough, L. M., Sharp, A. N., Resch, J. A., Decker, C., & Wilker, N. (2015). Barriers to the long term recovery of individuals with disabilities following disaster. Disasters. doi:10.1111/disa.12161
Stough, L. M., & Kang, D. (2015). The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and persons with disabilities. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, 6(2), 140-149. doi:10.1007/s13753-015-0051-8
Project staff also collaborated on several chapters:
Phillips, B. K., & Stough, L. M. (2016). Populations with functional or access needs. In K. Koenig, & C. Schultz, (Eds.), Disaster Medicine: Comprehensive Principles and Practices (2nd ed. pp. 137-162). Cambridge, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Stough, L. M., & Kelman, I. (2015). Exploring and exchanging (dis)ability and (dis)aster. In I. Kelman, & L. Stough (Eds.), Disaster and Disability: Exchanges and Explorations (pp. 175-186). New York: Palgrave/MacMillan Press.
Kelman, I., & Stough, L. M., & (2015). (Dis)ability and (dis)aster. In I. Kelman, & L. Stough (Eds.), Disaster and Disability: Exchanges and Explorations (pp. 3-14). New York: Palgrave/MacMillan Press.
Also several newsletter articles:
Stough, L.M., & Kang, D. (2015, July). Disability and Public Shelters in Emergencies Research Article. Texas Disability Integration Newsletter, 1(3), 3-4.
Stough, L. M., & Kang, D. (2016, February). The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and Disability, Texas Disability Integration Newsletter, 3(1), 3.
Kang, D., & Stough, L. M. (2015, July). Disability and Public Shelters in Emergencies, Texas Disability Integration Newsletter, 3(1), 3-4.
*** FY 2016 ***
Dr. Stough also collaborated with Dr. Ilan Kelman in publishing one book:
Kelman, I., & Stough, L. M. (2015). Disaster and Disability: Exchanges and Explorations. Palgrave/MacMillan Press.
The book, the first to be published on disasters and disabilities, includes 19 chapters first-authored by people with disabilities from across the globe who discuss their experiences with disaster and emergency preparedness. Several academic chapters frame the narratives and a concluding chapter discusses the counter-narrative that is produced when people with disabilities are the authors of their own stories.
Project REDD also engaged in several presentations:
Yuen, J., Eppelsheimer, R. Nudi, J., & Stough, L. M. (2015, November). Play it Forward: Reflections on Leadership of Retiring UCEDD and LEND Directors. Presentation at the annual meeting of the American Association of University Centers on Disabilities, Washington, DC.
The Mobile TIPs is a one-stop web-based application for Texas emergency responders and disaster organizations that provides information about supports for individuals with disabilities and their families. The application incorporates 1) TIPs for Emergency Responders (originally developed by the University of New Mexico), 2) the Texas Guide to Disaster Supports, 3) the Acronym Guide, and 4) the Directory of Community Services for use on smart phones. This mobile website enables on-the-spot information about needs, resources, and contacts for people with disabilities in disaster. According to Google Analytics, the Mobile TIPs has been accessed by users throughout all 50 states in the U.S. as well as by users in 40 other countries.
The State of Texas Office of Emergency Management has included the Mobile TIPs as part of its Functional Needs Toolkit and Dr. Stough serves on the State of Texas Disability Task Force on Emergency Management, which brings together representatives from the Department of Health Services, Department of Rehabilitation Services, Texas Disability Rights, Texas CILs, the Arc, and 12 other entities that focus on the needs of individuals in disaster.
Project REDD has continued to conduct research on the effects of disaster on individuals with disabilities through several different projects including the long-term recovery of individuals impacted by Hurricane Katrina, sheltering during Hurricane Ike, the Bastrop County Complex Wildfire, and the Alabama tornados of 2011.
Project REDD produces two resource guides; the Disaster Acronym Guide and the Texas Guide to supports and Services for Individuals with Disabilities and Their Families Affected by Disasters. These guides are disseminated throughout Texas as well as to other organizations providing disaster-related services to individuals with disabilities.
Project REDD maintains communication with the Texas Governor's Office on Disability, the State of Texas Office of Emergency Management, Texas Disability Rights, Texas Interfaith Disaster Response, Central Texas Voluntary Agencies Active in Disaster, Gulf Coast Voluntary Agencies Active in Disaster, the National Center on Post Traumatic Stress Disaster, the University of Texas Southwest Medical School, the Texas Department of Health and Human Services, the Independent Living Research Utilization center at The Institution for Rehabilitation Research Memorial Hermann Hospital, and the American Association on Health and Disabilities as well as other organizations. Project REDD has established linkages with other UCEDDs who are also conducting research in this area including UCEDDs at the University of New Mexico, the University of Kansas, Utah State University, the University of Wyoming, the University of Southern Mississippi, the Temple UCEDD, and the University of Delaware UCEDD. Project REDD responds on a weekly basis to emails or calls from fire departments, police departments, MHMR offices,
Total Funding FY 2016:
1. Department of Educational Psychology: Graduate Research Assistant $7500
2. Center on Disability and Development Core Grant: $10,500
