Human Services and Disaster Displacement

A discussion on disaster displacement and the human services needs of people displaced by disasters.

Disaster displacement is the involuntary movement of residents from their homes and community because of a natural disaster. There are approximately 1 million new disaster displacements in the United States every year that often leave people with critical human services needs.

The Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE), the Office of Human Services Emergency Preparedness and Response (OHSEPR), and Mathematica presented findings from the upcoming report, Human Service Needs and Disaster Displacement, including:

• Defining disaster displacement
• What disaster displacement looks like in the US and who is most affected by it
• What the human services needs are of people displaced by disaster
• How human services are delivered to people displaced by disasters
• What the outcomes are for people and communities affected by disaster displacement
• Recommendations for addressing disaster displacement

There was also a conversation and Q&A with experts in disaster planning, human services, and disaster research who shared their insights and discuss potential applications or implications for practitioners in the field.

Panelists

• Natalie Grant, Director, Office of Human Services Emergency Preparedness and Response (OHSEPR)
• David Abramson, Director, Population Impact, Recovery and Resilience program, New York University School of Public Health
• Maria Caridad "Cari" Palerm, Regional Relocation Specialist at U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)