Category: Disaster Preparedness & Response
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Washington’s Wildfires Show Why Disaster Social Work Cannot Begin After Evacuation
Wildfires near Spokane County prompted a federal public health emergency in August and new Medicare and Medicaid flexibilities for Washington. Federal guidance addressed continuity of care, dialysis, replacement medical equipment, prescription access, privacy, language assistance, and support for state health programs. Each provision responds to a real need. Together, they show why disaster social work…
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Gary Needed Refrigeration, Water, and Cooling. Where Were the Schools of Social Work?
When power fails for days, a family’s needs become immediate and concrete. Food must be kept safe. People need drinking water, a tolerable indoor temperature, transportation, and a way to communicate. Distress is part of that experience, but so are the material conditions producing it. Gary’s prolonged August power outage raises a question for social…