A Descriptive List of Web Links Related to PAS

This document focuses on the equal access requirements for people with disabilities that apply to the points-of-service that address human needs, specifically the functions and activities comprising Emergency Support Function 6 (Disaster Mass Care, Housing, and Human Services). It is intended to be used by disaster relief planners and service providers, including: Federal, state, local, and tribal governments, and non-governmental and private sector organizations. The document serves as a concise reference guide that describes existing legal requirements and standards relating to access for people with disabilities. This Guide does not create new standards and obligations, financially or otherwise, nor is it intended to modify any existing legal requirements and standards.

The California HealthCare Foundation and the University of California San Francisco have a free website on long term care services in California that is designed for consumers, caregivers, providers, discharge planners, and advocates. This site provides comprehensive information about the quality of long term care in the state including

Find both unbiased and easy-to-use information about the quality of care they deliver. Sponsored by the California HealthCare Foundation, this Web site is a free resource that provides ratings of long term care providers throughout the state, and helps you choose among options such as nursing homes, home health care agencies, and residential care facilities.

The Carework Network is an international organization of researchers, policymakers, and advocates involved in various domains of care work. Carework research and policy focus on the caring work of individuals, families, communities, paid caregivers, social service agencies, and state bureaucracies, and ask important questions about such matters as:

• how women's labor force participation has affected the nature & scope of women's and men's caring work;
• how identities influence carework;
• how inequality based on gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, and other factors relates to caring;
• how caring work is recognized and compensated;
• how various state welfare policies the distribution of carework;
• and whether and to what extent citizens have a right to receive, and a duty to provide, care.

This guide is for people who care for family members or others with Alzheimer's disease (AD) at home. Includes information about how AD changes a person; coping with these changes; helping family and friends understand AD; making your home safe for the person with AD; and managing everyday activities like eating, bathing, dressing and grooming.

The Consumer Voice is the leading national voice representing consumers in issues related to long-term care, helping to ensure that consumers are empowered to advocate for themselves. We are a primary source of information and tools for consumers, families, caregivers, advocates and ombudsmen to help ensure quality care for the individual.

A guide to being a direct care worker, including what services they provide, what skills are required to become one and how to find a job being a direct care worker.

Disability.gov, is a redesigned federal Web site that connects more than 50 million Americans with disabilities to thousands of trusted resources on disability-related issues, programs and services. Formerly known as DisabilityInfo.gov, the site has been completely redesigned and updated with new social media tools, such as a blog and a Twitter feed, to encourage feedback and interaction among visitors. Disability.gov is not just for Americans with disabilities, but also for parents of children with disabilities, employers, workforce and human resource professionals, veterans, educators, caregivers and many others.

Emergency Preparedness for persons with disabilities, their families and support networks. Covers specific individual preparedness for people with disabilities and activity limitations and content includes:

• Guides
• Hazard Specific
• Lessons Documented
• Specific Functional Need Focus
• Forms, Checklists, Tools, Samples, etc.
• Videos
• General Preparedness Information

People of every age need a plan of action in case of an emergency. Although you may be in good health, you probably aren't as agile as you used to be. Or you might have a disability that can present additional challenges. Age and disabilities do not have to be debilitating in emergencies. By planning ahead, you"ll feel more confident about protecting yourself during an emergency, whether it is a house fire, power outage, hurricane or attack on the community. Now is the time to get prepared.

Following the attacks of September 11, 2001, NOD launched the Emergency Preparedness Initiative (EPI) to ensure that emergency managers address disability concerns and that people with disabilities are included in all levels of emergency preparedness including planning, response, and recovery.

EPI has since become a nationally recognized leader in emergency preparedness for people with disabilities and special needs through the delivery of national outreach, education, and awareness programs. Additionally, EPI offers training programs to ensure that preparedness officials across the country include people with disabilities in their emergency planning, preparation, response and recovery activities at the community level. EPI works to ensure that people with disabilities take an active role in emergency plan development and practice before, during, and after emergencies.

EUROFAMCARE is an international research project funded within the 5th Framework Programme of the European Community, Key Action 6: The Ageing Population and Disabilities, 6.5: Health and Social Care Services to older People, Contract No QLK6-CT-2002-02647 "EUROFAMCARE". The EUROFAMCARE project will provide a European review of the situation of family carers of elderly people in relation to the existence, familiarity, availability, use and acceptability of supporting services.

According to the National Organization on Disability (NOD), "To be better prepared as a nation, we all must do our part to plan for disasters. Individuals with or without disabilities can decrease the impact of a disaster by taking steps to prepare BEFORE an event occurs."

The American Psychological Association's Family Caregiver Briefcase is now available. An online resource for those who work with family caregivers, the Briefcase can help professionals recognize, anticipate, and reduce the stresses on family caregivers across the life span. It provides guidance on how to assist caregivers through individual and organizational practice, research, teaching, and community service. Segments of the briefcase are also useful for family caregivers.

The components of the Family Caregiver Briefcase include:

• Caregiving facts and figures
• Strategies for reaching family caregivers
• Caregiving interventions
• Assessment tools
• Variations in practice for culturally diverse groups
• Practical aspects of providing services
• Research opportunities and considerations
• Teaching about Caregiving
• Advocacy on behalf of family caregivers
• Resources for diverse populations and age groups

Provides assistance, answers, new ideas and helpful advice to family care givers.

Maine PASA is an association that promotes professionalism and development for the direct care, direct support and personal assistance workforce to support the highest quality of life for elders and people with disabilities.

Medicare has a new website for caregivers connecting them to Medicare resources. The website provides information on navigating Medicare, assistance with billing, and exploring care options and other sources of help.

The National Alliance for Caregiving is dedicated to providing support and information to family caregivers and to increasing public awareness of issues facing family caregivers.

The National Clearinghouse on the Direct Care Workforce tracks national and state policies that relate to the PAS workforce. This includes a national survey of state workforce initiatives and information on recruitment, training, mentoring, career advancement, management and supervisory training, workplace culture and caregiving practices, wages and benefits, worker supports and other valuable information. Information for consumers of Personal Assistance Services can be found on their Consumer Direction section of the Direct Care Clearinghouse web site.

For people who have family members as caregivers, this website gives tips and advice for families and caregivers.

The ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center assists and promotes the development of quality respite and crisis care programs and helps families locate respite and crisis care services in their communities. As part of their effort this Center has a National Respite Locator Service that helps parents, family caregivers, and professionals find respite services in their state and local area to match their specific needs.

To learn more about the National Respite Network, go to http://www.archrespite.org/home

To find the online Respite Locator, go to http://www.archrespite.org/respitelocator

A project of the University of Southern California Andrus Gerontology Center, this resource center has an online directoy of home modifications resources, aimed at promoting independence and preventing accidents in the home.

It is also the home to another project titled "Caregiver Adaptations to Reduce Environmental Stress" aimed at increaing caregiver use of environmental coping strategies to reduce physical burden and strain.

PHI PolicyWorks gives users access to, up-to-date statistics, timely research and analysis, and strategic legislative and regulatory recommendations. PolicyWorks features:

• Strategic Areas - Frameworks for understanding the leading policy issues affecting the direct-care workforce
• Workforce Facts - An introduction to the demographics, size, and economic impact of the direct-care workforce
• Policy Recommendations - Strategic recommendations on the critical issues affecting direct-care workers
• Chart Gallery - High quality graphics highlighting key data on the direct-care workforce
• Guide to Accessing Federal Recovery Act Funds - Help for those interested in taking advantage of the unprecedented level of public resources now available
• Health Reform Resource Center - Resources to help ensure that national health reform works for the direct-care workforce

If disaster strikes your community, you might not have access to food, water, or electricity for some time. By taking time now to prepare emergency water supplies, food supplies and disaster supplies kit, you can provide for your entire family.

RewardingWork.org is an online direct care job registry connecting employees and employers in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Jersey.

The Rosalynn Carter Institute establishes local, state and national partnerships committed to building quality long-term, home and community- based services. We believe strongly in the need to provide greater recognition and support for America's professional and family caregivers. Our focus includes supporting individuals and caregivers coping with chronic illness and disability across the lifespan as well as limitations due to aging.

The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management (DEM) manages disaster preparation, mitigation, and response; 9-1-1 dispatch; and homeland security grant distribution for the City and County of San Francisco. DEM was created in 2006 by local legislation that reorganized the Emergency Communications Department and the Office of Emergency Services into a single agency.