Disaster Case Management Overview

Disaster Case Management (DCM) is the process of organizing and providing a timely coordinated approach to assess disaster-related needs as well as existing healthcare, mental health and human services needs that may adversely impact an individual’s recovery if not addressed.  DCM facilitates the delivery of appropriate resources and services, works with a client to implement a recovery plan and advocates for the client’s needs to assist him or her in returning to a pre-disaster status while respecting human dignity.  If necessary, these services help transition the client with pre-existing needs to existing case management providers after disaster related needs are addressed.  This is facilitated through the provision of a single point of contact for disaster assistance applicants who need a wide variety of services that may be provided by many different organizations.

Prior to Hurricane Katrina and Rita there was no federal authority to fund disaster case management as part of a Stafford Act declaration. Consequently, case management had to be provided through donated funds and by voluntary agencies. Many of those affected were already depending on federal assistance programs or suddenly found themselves in need of human or medical services paid for or provided by the government. It became apparent that a case management system was needed for those kinds of large scale displacements. Specifically, any system should assess individual and family needs and assists with connecting them with the appropriate healthcare, mental health, human and disaster specific services to address immediate circumstances and long-term requirements.

Congress passed the Post Katrina Emergency Reform Act of 2006 in recognition of this need. The Act recognized the need for comprehensive Disaster Case Management and authorized its development by stating, “the President may provide case management services, including financial assistance, to State or Local government agencies or qualified private organizations to provide such services to victims of major disasters to identify and address unmet needs.”

By drawing upon lessons learned, ACF has created a model approach to disaster case management. The ACF model is based upon the principles of self- determination, self-sufficiency, federalism, flexibility and speed, as well as support to states. Individuals and families focusing on their own needs, resources, and interests are far more likely to reach favorable results for themselves and for the broader community. States, tribes, localities and individuals that endeavor to deliver needed benefits and services to disaster victims should not be financially disadvantaged by their compassion and generosity. The purpose of disaster case management is to create a coordinated system which enables an individual or family who has survived a disaster to provide information about their situation to one organization that will help them achieve pre-disaster levels of functioning and equilibrium.

The ACF DCM model is unique because it:

• Pre-positions case-management assets similar to the way National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) operates;
• Deploys within 72 hours and provides immediate access to case management – a service that in other models takes 3-6 months to have in place;
• Creates a comprehensive individualized recovery plan for each disaster victim that includes existing social services in addition to disaster specific services;
• Is based on the principles of self-determination, self-sufficiency, federalism, flexibility and speed, and support for states
• Integrates with existing state, local, and voluntary programs;
• Utilizes existing resources, including professional volunteer organizations;
• Augments these existing programs to fill gaps in needed services;
• Scales to any size disaster, particularly if the affected area encompasses multiple states;