title: A functional needs approach to emergency planning.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted to test the ability of the St Louis County Department of Health to efficiently dispense medication to individuals with functional needs during a public health emergency and develop new guidelines for future emergency planning. Historically, people with functional needs have been vulnerable in emergency situations, and emergency planners are responsible for creating equal access for mass prophylaxis events.
  
  
  METHODS
  Measures to create access for individuals with functional needs were tested in a countywide exercise in which 40 volunteers with functional needs walked through an open point of dispensing location to collect medication as if it were a real emergency. Actions were informed by representatives from the functional needs community in the St Louis area.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the exercise, medications were successfully dispensed to all participants. Many participants offered feedback for future program design.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Outcomes indicated the importance of working closely with the community organizations that serve people with functional needs in designing appropriate response measures, providing sensitivity training to staff members, employing useful technology, and using visual and verbal cues. The lessons learned from this exercise apply to emergency planning nationwide, as planning efforts for persons with functional needs still lag significantly.(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2014;0:1-9).
authors.affiliation: 1Washington University in St Louis,School of Arts and Sciences,St Louis,Missouri.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zod
authors.affiliation: 2Saint Louis County Department of Health,St Louis,Missouri.
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fick-Osborne
authors.affiliation: 2Saint Louis County Department of Health,St Louis,Missouri.
authors.forename: Eleanor B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Peters
mesh_terms: D023482:Bioterrorism; D018890:Chemoprevention / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003144:Communication Barriers; D002658:Developmental Disabilities; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training; D007802:Language; D008923:Missouri; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D020380:Needs Assessment; D055553:Prescription Drugs / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D014838:Volunteers; D000078329:Workforce
chemical_list: D055553:Prescription Drugs