Building a More Inclusive Disaster Response

Ventura County Community Emergency Access Assessment

Disasters impact some members of our community more than others, particularly individuals who experience barriers due to language, technology, transportation, advanced age, a low income, disabilities, and physical access to resources and safety.

The Ventura County Community Emergency Access Assessment was a grant-funded countywide project to identify the needs of people with disabilities and other access and functional needs that may impact them during a disaster and help bring more inclusiveness into emergency planning. The ultimate goal is for all community members to have equitable access to emergency information, resources and services.

The project included extensive community engagement alongside trusted partners, community and partner surveys, listening sessions and town hall meetings. A Community Emergency Access Needs Assessment Final Report (Informe Final de la Evaluación Comunitaria de Acceso en Casos de Emergencia) details the project findings, and identifies actions and strategies for improved outcomes in each phase of preparation, response and recovery from a disaster. The project was guided throughout by the county’s Access and Functional Needs Working Group, an advisory group comprised of individuals with lived experience and staff from public, private and nonprofit agencies representing the spectrum of access and functional needs.

The three-year project has concluded. Please visit our Project Updates pages for more details, including next steps, capacity building opportunities and a resource toolkit to increase capacity for all members of our community.

Community Emergency Access Needs Assessment Final Report
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