Capella FPX 4055 Assessment 3

Name

Capella university

NURS-FPX4055 Optimizing Population Health through Community Practice

Prof. Name

Date

Disaster Recovery Plan

Valley City faces considerable hurdles in recovering from disasters, stemming primarily from deep-rooted socio-economic inequalities, communication gaps, and the needs of an aging and increasingly diverse population. Effective recovery hinges on the coordination of local governance, public health policy, and the adoption of proven, evidence-based approaches. This is particularly relevant following events like the hazardous oil train derailment and growing threats from natural disasters like tornadoes. The Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) framework offers a structured model to analyze how these local conditions affect disaster response, while also fostering equitable service access and minimizing health disparities during emergencies (Capella University, n.d.).

Determinants of Health and Barriers in Valley City

Several demographic and socio-economic variables significantly influence Valley City’s disaster preparedness. With a population of 8,295 and a median age of 43.6, nearly a quarter of residents (22%) are senior citizens, including over 200 individuals with chronic health concerns. These older adults require specialized support for mobility and ongoing medical care, even amid disruption (Capella University, n.d.). Additionally, 147 residents live with disabilities affecting speech or hearing. During crises—especially those involving power or network outages—these individuals struggle to access timely, understandable emergency information.

The city is also undergoing a demographic shift with a rising Latino population (currently 3%) and an unknown number of undocumented residents, many with limited English proficiency. These language barriers and immigration fears further restrict access to health services and disaster alerts (Capella University, n.d.). Meanwhile, severe financial strain has led to staffing cuts among first responders and threatens the viability of Valley City Regional Hospital, where 97 of 105 beds are occupied. With obsolete equipment and the potential for staff reductions, any major emergency could push healthcare facilities beyond capacity. These demographic, linguistic, and economic variables necessitate inclusive, proactive disaster planning.

Interrelationships Among Determinants and Barriers

In Valley City, intersecting social, cultural, and economic factors collectively hamper recovery efforts. Vulnerable populations, including over 200 elderly with complex medical conditions and nearly 150 communication-impaired residents, are underserved by traditional evacuation and shelter protocols. Recovery centers often lack accessible design, creating systemic inequity in service delivery (Walter et al., 2021). Undocumented residents face additional communication obstacles, often avoiding public agencies due to deportation fears, thus missing crucial information and resources (Mucha et al., 2024).

Ongoing fiscal instability worsens these issues. Cuts in emergency services personnel slow response times, while overburdened shelters fail to meet growing needs among the unhoused population. Valley City Regional Hospital, functioning at near capacity, may further suffer if forced to downsize due to funding constraints. These economic challenges compound cultural isolation, amplifying individual vulnerability and reducing community resilience. Therefore, disaster planning must tackle these intertwined issues through inclusive, community-centered solutions.

Promoting Health Equity Through a Culturally Sensitive Disaster Recovery Plan

To ensure fair and effective recovery outcomes, Valley City must design a culturally responsive disaster recovery strategy. Given the high proportion of seniors—22% over age 65—with complex medical needs, tailored interventions such as mobile health units, prioritized evacuations, and partnerships with long-term care facilities are essential (Walter et al., 2021). The CDC’s Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) highlights that communities with high proportions of elderly, disabled, and economically disadvantaged individuals face greater disaster impact (CDC, 2024a).

Valley City fits this profile, with 147 residents facing disabilities and limited resources available in the event of widespread emergencies. A culturally competent plan would include multilingual alerts and outreach programs sensitive to the needs of Latino and undocumented populations. Furthermore, low-income and less-educated groups often experience prolonged post-disaster suffering (Census.gov, 2023). By incorporating social justice principles and employing culturally trained health workers, the city can dismantle access barriers, thus achieving better health equity across demographic lines.

Role of Health and Governmental Policy: A CERC Framework Approach

Government and healthcare policies play a pivotal role in guiding equitable disaster recovery. Through the CERC model—which promotes timely, accurate, and compassionate communication—frameworks like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ensure accessibility in disaster response. For Valley City’s 147 disabled residents and 200+ seniors with medical complexities, compliance with ADA requires clear evacuation routes, accessible communication, and shelter accommodations (ADA, 2021). Yet during the oil train derailment, breakdowns in these systems reflected policy failures (Iezzoni et al., 2022).

Federal legislation such as the Stafford Act activates federal aid post-disaster, enabling hospital upgrades, equipment procurement, and infrastructure repairs (FEMA, 2021). The Disaster Recovery Reform Act (DRRA) of 2018 further emphasizes preventive planning and hazard mitigation (FEMA, 2021). In Valley City, this supports critical investments in emergency systems, backup utilities, and trace mapping for health vulnerability tracking (Borges et al., 2024). These policy tools, if aligned with CERC principles, enhance credibility, inclusion, and transparency in recovery efforts.

Strategies to Overcome Communication Barriers and Interprofessional Collaboration

Valley City must address its communication gaps and improve interprofessional collaboration using the CERC framework. Diverse communication methods—multilingual alerts, visual cues, and mobile platforms—are needed to reach non-English speakers, hearing-impaired residents, and those with limited tech access (CDC, 2024b). Such tools can increase trust and compliance among historically underserved groups.

Implementing a unified Incident Command System (ICS) across emergency services, including hospitals, fire departments, and law enforcement, can streamline disaster coordination (Hanlin & Schulz, 2021). Joint simulation training and platforms like WebEOC or emergency dashboards in Microsoft Teams improve situational awareness and task allocation. Simulation-based training has proven to enhance team performance and role clarity in emergencies (Gundran et al., 2022).

Health navigators and culturally trained outreach staff can bridge communication divides, especially for homeless individuals and medically vulnerable groups. These interventions ensure critical, timely communication, reduce care delays, and prevent marginalization during disaster events (Gundran et al., 2022). Strengthening these strategies boosts community preparedness and resilience.

Conclusion

Valley City’s vulnerabilities—spanning economic, demographic, and infrastructural domains—create complex challenges in disaster recovery. Guided by the CERC framework, the city can develop a response plan that ensures timely communication, equitable care, and interagency coordination. Policies such as the ADA, Stafford Act, and DRRA must be fully integrated into these efforts. By fostering culturally sensitive strategies and interprofessional collaboration, Valley City can enhance its preparedness and protect its most at-risk populations during future emergencies.

Summary Table: Determinants, Barriers, and Solutions

Category	Key Challenge	Proposed Solution
Elderly Population	22% over age 65 with chronic health issues	Mobile health units, prioritized evacuation, LTC coordination
Disability Access	147 residents with communication/mobility limitations	ADA-compliant alerts, transportation assistance, accessible shelters
Language Barriers	Growing Latino population, undocumented residents	Multilingual alerts, culturally trained health workers
Financial Constraints	Staff cuts, hospital at capacity, outdated equipment	Stafford Act funding, DRRA support, infrastructure upgrades
Interagency Coordination	Disjointed emergency services	Unified ICS, WebEOC for updates, interprofessional training
Communication Gaps	Underserved groups lack info access during crises	CERC-compliant communication, community health navigators

References

ADA. (2021). Introduction to the Americans with Disabilities Act. ADA.gov. https://www.ada.gov/topics/intro-to-ada/

Borges, J., Harari, L., Jung, H., McFeely, M., & Siegrist, N. (2024, June 27). Indigenous worldviews and tribal priorities in hazard mitigation planning. University of Washington. https://digital.lib.washington.edu/researchworks/items/9162b396-de70-4eaf-868d-77374f8d2be9

Capella FPX 4055 Assessment 3

Capella University. (n.d.). RN to BSN | Online Bachelor’s Degree | Capella University. https://www.capella.edu/online-nursing-degrees/bachelors-rn-to-bsn-completion/

CDC. (2024a, October 22). Social Vulnerability Index. https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/place-health/php/svi/index.html

CDC. (2024b, November). Crisis & Emergency Risk Communication (CERC). https://www.cdc.gov/cerc/php/about/index.html

Census.gov. (2023). QuickFacts: Valley City, North Dakota. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/valleycitycitynorthdakota

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). (2021). Disaster Recovery Reform Act Fact Sheet. https://www.fema.gov/disaster-recovery-reform-act-2018

Hanlin, R., & Schulz, R. (2021). Enhancing disaster response through integrated emergency management systems. Journal of Emergency Management, 19(4), 25–31.

Iezzoni, L. I., Rao, S. R., Ressalam, J., Bolcic-Jankovic, D., Donnelly, S., Agaronnik, N. D., Lagu, T., & Campbell, E. G. (2022). Physicians’ perceptions of people with disability and their health care. Health Affairs, 41(10), 1379–1387. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2022.00273

Capella FPX 4055 Assessment 3

Mucha, N., Alvarez, S., & Frey, K. (2024). Barriers to care during emergencies for undocumented communities. Public Health Reports, 139(1), 72–83.

Walter, A. L., Sandoval, R. S., & McGinnis, T. (2021). Addressing the needs of older adults in emergency preparedness. Geriatric Nursing, 42(5), 1014–1021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gerinurse.2021.05.006