Critical Emergency Planning Tools for People with Disabilities & Their Caregivers

Join us at the upcoming meeting hosted by the Department of Mental Health’s Office of Disaster Services, where Deb will emphasize the importance of having individual and family emergency plans, particularly for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She will also introduce new, accessible tools designed to simplify the planning process for individuals and caregivers in this community.

About Deb Hendricks

Deb Hendricks is the Developmental Disabilities Preparedness Coordinator at the Missouri Department of Mental Health’s Office of Disaster Services, a role she has held for over a year. Before this, she was an Education Safety Coordinator at the Missouri School Boards Association’s Center for Education Safety, where she developed and managed the Missouri School Safety Academy program. Deb also served as the Voluntary Agency Liaison for the State Emergency Management Agency for about six years. With a 28-year career as a Public Information Officer for the State of Missouri, including 19 years at the Department of Social Services and its Children’s Division, Deb has a long-standing dedication to supporting children and families during and after disasters. She has responded to numerous events, including the 2011 Joplin tornado and the 2019 Jefferson City tornado. Additionally, Deb trains for FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute and SEMA on emergency human services topics and is a consultant Subject Matter Expert for FEMA, contributing to the revision of several FEMA trainings.