The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and American Red Cross (ARC) recently released the Post Disaster Reunification of Children: A Nationwide Approach. This document reflects our Nation’s first attempt to establish a framework and whole community approach for reunifying children separatepost-disaster-reunification-of-children-a-nationwide-approach.pdfd from their parents or legal guardians in the aftermath of a disaster.
To ensure that this initiative was truly comprehensive, whole community partners from across the country were engaged in the development of the Post Disaster Reunification of Children: A Nationwide Approach, to include regional, state and local counterparts, a multitude of voluntary & faith based organizations, children’s organizations, disability organizations, pediatric experts, and other applicable stakeholders and advocacy groups. The overall objective of this initiative strives to:
- Assist state, local and tribal governments in determining processes, communication lines, and the identification of roles and responsibilities necessary to facilitate the expeditious reunification of children separated as a result of disaster;
- Encourage stakeholders and community leaders to develop and build upon existing and pre-disaster relationships;
- Establish an understanding of how all parties (leading and supporting) can work together to support each other’s missions, and;
- Identify tools and resources that could assist States and localities in disaster related reunification efforts.
The Post Disaster Reunification of Children: A Nationwide Approach and other reunification resources can be found on the Reunification Resources page on the National Mass Care Strategy website.
Additionally, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) recently launched the Unaccompanied Minors Registry (UMR), our country’s first national repository created to support the NCMEC’s ability to collect, store, report, and act on information related to children separated as a result of disaster. The UMR is available during all disasters (not only Presidential) and can be accessed on the following link http://umr.missingkids.com.