Disaster Assistance: Greater Coordination and an Evaluation of Programs' Outcomes Could Improve Disaster Case Management

FEMA concurred with this recommendation and has worked with the Department of Health and Human Service's Administration for Children and Families (HHS/ACF) to develop a Disaster Case Management Program (DCM). The two agencies have been meeting on a biweekly basis since September 2010 and have an MOA in place for the ACF component of the Immediate DCM program. FEMA has established a timeline for the release of: DCM program guidance, grant application fact sheet, and FAQs, which calls for all components to be completed by October 2013.

In June 2010, FEMA Headquarters Disaster Case Management (DCM) staff hosted a DCM summit in New Orleans, LA. The summit included representatives from federal and state agencies and from voluntary agencies involved in providing DCM services. Discussion topics at the summit included, among others, the transfer of case files between federal to state agencies and communications with voluntary organizations. In addition, in March 2011, officials from FEMA and ACF signed a memorandum of agreement setting forth the responsibilities of FEMA and ACF with regard to disaster response and recovery, including DCM activities in particular. The MOU establishes a number of ways in which FEMA and ACF will coordinate on DCM activities, including the establishment of common goals, sharing of information, regular coordination meetings, and the standardization of forms, training and data collection. The MOU also describes ways in which FEMA and ACF will involve state agencies and voluntary organizations in DCM activities.

FEMA concurred with this recommendation. The Department of Veteran's Affairs, supported by a federal interagency agreement with the Department of Homeland Security, completed its DCMP Evaluation Planning Project Final Report: A Working Model and Tools for DCMP Evaluation on 08/15/11. The report, based on evaluations and a review of reports on disaster case management programs following several disasters (including Hurricanes Katrina and Rita), presents a working model for DCMP evaluation and was used to guide the development of standardized tools and procedures for the DCM program.