Access and Functional Needs Program Supervisor Colorado DHSEM Centennial, Colorado, United States
This presentation examines Colorado's transition toward an integrated Access and Functional Needs (AFN) resource disruption framework, focusing on the critical intersection of emergency management. Utilizing the Colorado Emergency Preparedness Assessment (CEPA), the state identifies systemic gaps where traditional evacuation protocols fail to account for individuals who need acceess to Communication, Maintaining Health, Independence, Support Services, Safety, and Transportation Resources before, during, and after disasters. Data indicates that resource scarcity during transit-resource needs in evacuations remains a primary resource gap for those who do not own transportation resources and relay on paratransit resources.
Participants will learn best and promising practices and recommendations on enhancing emergency coordination, the state strategies to bridge these gaps through legislative mandates, which formalizes the integration of specialized transit assets into the state's response when disasters strike. Readiness is sustained through a continuous cycle of training and structured problem-solving, exemplified by the Colorado Access and Functional Needs program, which facilitates cross-sector dialogue on resource mobilization. Recognizing that guidance is a dynamic work in progress, the Colorado Resiliency Framework serves as the iterative foundation for adapting resource allocation to meet the evolving complexities of large-scale disaster response.
