Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees - GCIR

With one out of five households in the United States speaking a language other than English at home, and more than 18.4 million foreign-born residents over the age of five speaking English less than very well, overcoming language barriers has become an increasingly vital element to emergency preparedness. Recent natural disasters-Hurricane Katrina, flooding in the Midwest, and the Southern California wildfires-illustrate the need for emergency response and public health systems to improve their outreach and services to immigrants, refugees, and other limited English proficient (LEP) residents who may be isolated, have little knowledge of emergency resources, and fear interacting with local public agencies. Published by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and GCIR, this report offers a framework for how local governments can incorporate LEP residents into the emergency planning process, increase their preparedness, and develop capacity in key public agencies to communicate with and serve these residents.