Access and Functional Needs Toolkit: Integrating a Community Partner Network to Inform Risk Communication Strategies

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CDC developed the Access and Functional Needs Toolkit: Integrating a Community Partner Network to Inform Risk Communication Strategies to help emergency planners achieve effective communications through the integration of a community outreach information network. The toolkit provides a framework to organize planning for broad groups of people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs, recommended action steps and noteworthy practices from the field.

The toolkit is organized in two sections. Section 1 provides an overview of access and functional needs and examples of groups who may be at greater risk or disproportionately impacted before, during, and after an emergency. This section includes noteworthy practices, key considerations, and resources for effective communication. Section 2 outlines a four-step process and recommended action steps to successfully integrate a network of community partners into the risk communication process. This section provides customizable tools and instructions, templates, worksheets, noteworthy partner engagement practices and additional resources. When completed, jurisdictions can incorporate the worksheets into their communication plans and use them to evaluate opportunities to improve their partner integration practices.