This week is National Hurricane Preparedness Week, and Hurricane season officially begins June 1 through November. TAHC&H wants all 6,262 licensed Home and Community Support Service Agencies (HCSSAs) in Texas to be prepared!
According to the most recent Regulatory Services Annual Report for FY 2017, Texas has 6,262, HCSSAs that provide services to hundreds of thousands consumers each year. The report cites that HCSSAs census counts for 2016 and 2017 totaled 1,245,985 consumers served. Due to the sheer number of consumers served, and not including the staff counts, HCSSAs have an enormous responsibility when it comes being prepared for any type of emergency disaster... TAHC&H wants all 6,262 licensed HCSSAs in Texas to be prepared!
HCSSAs are required to have a current written plan based an annual risk assessment that identifies the disasters from natural and man-made causes that are likely to occur in the agency's service area. HCSSAs must identify clients who may need evacuation assistance, and provide assistance to each that wish to be registered for evacuation assistance. HCSSAs must orient and train employees, volunteers, and contractors about their responsibilities in the agency's emergency preparedness and response plan. These are only few requirements a HCSSAs must comply with for emergency preparedness. TAHC&H wants all 6,262 licensed HCSSAs in Texas to be prepared!
After the August 25, 2017, Hurricane Harvey disaster, TAHC&H sprang into action to bring educational opportunities and awareness about planning, response and recovery. TAHC&H heard from its members, who were willing to share their stories on the importance of planning, being prepared, and having staff trained on the ready to respond. We learned how critical it is to know when and how to respond. Many lessons learned were shared including countless ideas about mitigating harm to staff and their patients. TAHC&H wants all 6,262 licensed HCSSAs in Texas to be prepared!
As your leading advocate, our mission is to advocate for ethical practices, quality, and economic viability of licensed providers in Texas. This is why, TAHC&H staff continues to work very hard for you and has put together a comprehensive Emergency Preparedness Summit with essential workshops you must not miss.
Register now for a full day of critical learning on May 22, 2018, in Austin, Texas.
Included in this full day of critical learning:
· A panel of state health emergency preparedness representatives who will cover how to develop collaborative relationships with local, state and federal partners. The panelists will answer specific questions about regions covered, the best way to communicate, how to access the regions' all hazards assessment and e-prep resources for the community and more.
· A session on both the Federal State rules will be dissected to learn about the similarities and differences so that agencies – both certified and non-certified – can understand how to prepare for potential disaster and emergency situation, comply with state and federal requirements, and protect their businesses, clients and staff.
· A session on strategies that you can use to be comfortable during survey time will be offered.
· An interactive session on how to develop and complete your agency risk assessment for compliance with emergency preparedness requirements will be lead.
· A session that that will help test your plan using the five P's (Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance).
You will return to your agency well equipped with the necessary knowledge and resources to help you design, and implement an appropriate disaster response and recovery plan that will save lives, and protect your business.
TAHC&H wants all 6,262 licensed HCSSAs in Texas to be prepared! Register now!