Real Emergency Access for Aging and Disability Inclusion (REAADI) for Disasters Act Support Letter
August 16, 2021
Dear Senator Casey and Congressman Langevin:
The undersigned organizations join the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) in thanking you for your re-introduction of the Real Emergency Access for Aging and Disability Inclusion (REAADI) for Disasters Act in the 117th Congress.
Although it felt like much of the world slowed down in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters marched on, unrelenting. From the late Summer 2020 derecho in the Midwest, to the Spring 2021 ice storms in southern Texas, and the advent of another hurricane season along the coasts, confronting natural disasters remains a reality. These events are part of an escalating trend of catastrophic disasters with extensive loss of life and property damage.
The other ongoing trend in disasters has been that aging and disabled people have been overlooked in the preparation for and response to these events. When these disasters occur, communication systems, evacuation plans, and direct assistance all too often ignore the needs of aging and disabled people. As these disasters subside, aging and disabled people struggle to secure the supports and services necessary to rebuild their lives. The historical exclusion of aging and disabled people from disaster preparedness and response planning has meant that our needs have not been included. Entire systems have been built up across the years that exclude or isolate aging and disabled people. This exclusion has left aging and disabled people to suffer and even die, whether they were living in congregate facilities, living in their own homes, or seeking shelter from storms.
The REAADI for Disasters Act will support state and local disaster preparedness and response systems to remedy the exclusion of aging and disabled people. It would use the National Advisory Committee on Individuals with Disabilities and Disasters to evaluate existing systems and make recommendations on how Federal, tribal, territorial, state, local and non-governmental response agencies, disability and community organizations and other stakeholders can better coordinate and provide for the needs of individuals with disabilities in disaster impacted communities before, during and after disasters. It would provide technical assistance to support these recommendations. The REAADI for Disasters Act would also address the lack of inclusion of access and accommodations as violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which extends to disabled and aging people the fundamental civil right to live in our own homes and communities.
Effective emergency preparedness and disaster response are a matter of life and death for aging and disabled people. The REAADI for Disasters Act would ensure that aging and disabled people will not be disproportionately affected by disasters. The REAADI for Disasters Act will help communities better prepare to use resources to serve all members of their community. A well-designed and accessible system will provide community readiness, resilience and disaster recovery for everyone.
We look forward to supporting the REAADI for Disasters Act’s passage in this Congress and starting the work of building disaster preparedness and response systems that work for the safety of all members of our communities. Thank you for your leadership.
Disaster Relief Medicaid Act (DRMA) Support Letter
August 16, 2021
Dear Senator Casey and Congressman Panetta:
The undersigned organizations join the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) in thanking you for your re-introduction of the (DRMA) in the 117th Congress.
Disabled people are frequently institutionalized during and after disasters. On top of the lack of Medicaid portability, one major cause of this is the issuance of waivers by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) making it easier for states to place disabled people into institutional settings. For instance, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, CMS has a process for quickly responding to needed adjustments to states’ Medicaid Waiver services through Appendix K. Among the options Appendix K makes available to states is the ability to pay for institutional services for beneficiaries transferred to out of state facilities. Medicaid Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) beneficiaries do not have the option to transfer services out of state in response to evacuation from disaster.
To address this bias, DRMA would provide time limited access to Medicaid long term supports and services in the community to Relief-Eligible Survivors through a one hundred percent federal match to the safe harbor state. DRMA would also provide technical assistance and support to states to develop strategies for supporting evacuating individuals in need of Medicaid services.
Even as the world closed down in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters marched on, unrelenting. From the late Summer 2020 derecho in the Midwest, to the Spring 2021 ice storms in southern Texas, and the advent of another hurricane season along the coasts, confronting natural disasters remains a reality. These events are part of an escalating trend of catastrophic disasters with extensive loss of life and property damage. A permanent solution to support the ability of HCBS users to remain safe and out of institutions when evacuating from a disaster is necessary.
We look forward to supporting DRMA’s passage in this Congress and starting the work of building disaster preparedness and response systems that work for the safety of all members of our communities. Thank you for your leadership.