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

1. Elderly and Medically Vulnerable Populations

Valley City’s aging population, with 22% over age 65, includes more than 200 residents with serious health conditions requiring mobility assistance and chronic care support—factors that complicate disaster response efforts.

2. Communication Impairments

Roughly 147 individuals in the community have speech or hearing impairments, relying on sign language or lip-reading. In disasters, power outages and inaccessible communication platforms place them at extreme risk.

3. Cultural and Language Limitations

A growing Latino demographic (3%) and many undocumented residents with limited English skills face difficulties accessing emergency updates and healthcare services during crises.

4. Economic Constraints and Public Safety Cuts

Budget shortfalls have led to staffing reductions in essential services like law enforcement and fire response, severely impacting the city’s emergency readiness.

5. Strained Medical Infrastructure

Valley City Regional Hospital is nearing full capacity (97 of 105 beds) and operates with outdated equipment. Financial instability threatens further reductions in staffing and resources, hindering its ability to handle emergency surges.

Interconnected Challenges in Disaster Response

• Access Gaps for High-Risk Groups: Elderly, disabled, and mobility-impaired residents face evacuation and medical care challenges due to inaccessible shelters and transportation systems.
• Language Barriers and Legal Fears: Immigrants and non-English speakers often avoid public services due to language difficulties and deportation concerns.
• Reduced Emergency Capacity: Budget cuts in public safety weaken the city’s ability to respond to large-scale emergencies.
• Homelessness and Shelter Shortages: Overcrowded shelters leave homeless individuals without stable housing or transportation—vital components of disaster recovery.
• Overburdened Hospitals: Limited beds, obsolete technology, and potential staff cuts heighten vulnerability when disasters strike (Lee et al., 2022).

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Promoting Health Equity in Disaster Recovery

• Equity-Centered Planning: A recovery framework that embraces cultural sensitivity and inclusivity can reduce disparities and promote access for all residents (Kleinman et al., 2021).
• Support for Seniors: Emergency strategies should include mobile healthcare units, coordinated transportation, and partnerships with long-term care providers.
• Social Vulnerability Index (SVI): CDC identifies Valley City as socially vulnerable due to its elderly, disabled, and homeless populations, compounded by financial distress (CDC, 2024a).
• Language Access & Cultural Competence: Providing multilingual messaging and community-based outreach will address trust issues among immigrant populations.
• Low-Income Recovery Assistance: Research shows that economically disadvantaged groups struggle to recover without targeted support (Census Bureau, 2023).
• Fair Resource Allocation: Deploying culturally informed professionals ensures equitable care and resource distribution, especially for underserved communities.

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Policy Influence and the CERC Framework

• Policy-Driven Recovery: Government frameworks play a crucial role in inclusive and timely emergency response, especially in resource-limited communities.
• ADA Compliance: The Americans with Disabilities Act mandates accessible communication, evacuation, and shelter accommodations for individuals with disabilities (ADA, 2021).
• CERC Model for Crisis Communication: The CDC’s Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) model emphasizes clarity, inclusivity, and empathy in messaging—deficiencies that were apparent during a local train derailment (Hostetter & Naser, 2022).
• Stafford Act: Provides legal authority and funding for healthcare surges, infrastructure repairs, and public health services during federal disaster declarations (FEMA, 2021).
• Data Transparency: The Stafford Act also supports data collection on disease, housing, and vulnerability metrics to guide recovery planning.
• DRRA and Preventive Investments: The Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018 promotes pre-disaster resilience through funding for infrastructure upgrades and equitable recovery initiatives (FEMA, 2021).

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Overcoming Communication Barriers and Enhancing Collaboration

• CERC-Based Messaging: Apply the CERC model to ensure timely, compassionate, and accurate communication for all residents (CDC, 2024b).
• Multilingual, Multimodal Alerts: Serve non-English speakers and people with sensory impairments using audio, text, and visual messaging (Lloyd, 2023).
• Unified Emergency Leadership: Establish joint leadership across healthcare, police, and fire services to streamline response.
• Centralized Planning and Coordination: Regular interagency meetings and shared resource hubs improve efficiency and reduce duplication of effort (Aldao et al., 2021).
• Culturally Responsive Outreach: Equip navigators and liaisons to deliver equitable care to marginalized groups like seniors, the homeless, and disabled individuals.

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/

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. Www.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

Capella 4055 Assessment 3

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. Www.fema.gov. https://www.fema.gov/disaster/stafford-act

FEMA. (2021, July 6). Disaster recovery reform act of 2018 | FEMA.gov. Www.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

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

Capella 4055 Assessment 3

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/