(Houston, TX) – The City of Houston/Harris County Disability Access and Functional Needs (DAFN) Committee was recognized last night at the Texas HireAbility Employer Forum and Lex Frieden Employment Awards in Lancaster, Texas. The DAFN Committee received the Texas Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities Martha Arbuckle Award for its 2024 Disaster Readiness & Resilience Clinic (DRRC). The Martha Arbuckle Award recognizes the most innovative local committee project and is presented in memory of Austin’s long-time disability advocate Martha Arbuckle.
The DRRC was a Whole Community/Disability Access and Functional Needs (DAFN) inclusive workshop for individuals, caregivers, and families to improve their preparedness for the range of threats and hazards that may impact the area. Specifically recognizing and addressing barriers that individuals with disabilities might face and the impact the events can have on their critical community lifelines. The DRRC’s purpose and intent was to promote readiness through planning, recognizing potentially available resources at local, state, and federal levels and consultation with support and service representatives.
Participants had the opportunity to engage and talk with providers and representatives knowledgeable and involved in disaster response and recovery measures in how to better prepare for events that pose risks to them and their specific individual needs. The clinic also provided a navigated (one-on-one) and supported opportunity for participants to complete their own printed personal preparedness plan for their individual needs.
In the exit survey completed by attendees, one participant stated “This was a great opportunity to learn about available and viable resources. The navigator assistant was amazing.” and another said “There are many people in Houston that will benefit from an event like this. There should be more events like this in different part of town and it should be ongoing. You never prepare enough!”
