08-09-2023 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Ramsey County │ Annex H: Mass Care and Shelter 17 • Be quick to act if a client notifies staff that they are currently being abused or trafficked. • Provide appropriate support to clients who have experienced prior abuse within a shelter facility. Evacuation site managers should visibly post telephone numbers for local domestic violence shelters and national providers such as the National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (1-800-799- 7233) or (1-800-787-3224) TeleTYpe (TTY) and the National Human Traffic Hotline (1-888-373-7888) in emergency shelter areas. 3.1.8.4 Religious and Cultural Considerations Religious and cultural considerations should be considered when providing MCS services. Areas to pay attention to include language needs (shelter information should be provided in the languages spoken in the community), dietary needs (whenever possible, plan menus to incorporate ethnic preferences and religious restrictions), dormitory layout (impacted populations may have preferences that require separation of males and females or close quartering of families), requests related to religious observance (e.g., room to accommodate prayer), and other cultural, religious, or ethnic customs. 3.1.8.5 Undocumented Populations In Ramsey County, immigration status is not requested or collected during MCS operations. Immigration enforcement threats have led immigrants to question whether it is safe to seek shelter following disaster and may deter them from seeking critical services. Ramsey County does not require any proof of residency status and will provide disaster sheltering to all impacted populations. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), along with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), released a statement on September 28, 2022, reminding the public that emergency response and relief sites are considered protected areas, or areas that are generally protected from enforcement actions by ICE and CBP. 3.1.8.6 Unhoused Populations People who are experiencing homelessness may have limited resources and are also likely to be more adversely impacted by any environmental hazards such as extreme temperature events and hazardous material spills. Messages communicated through mainstream media sources may not reach them, because many of these individuals have no access to radio, television, or the internet. Some may be illiterate or have limited English proficiency, so written communication may also be ineffective with this population. The most common form of communication in this population is word-of-mouth, leading to the spread of inaccurate rumors and misunderstandings that may have serious consequences during an emergency. Some homeless people have access to cell phones. However, their use of this technology is based on limited minutes and access to charging. To communicate disaster and disaster service information to people without homes, the Mass Care Branch will work with County departments and other community service providers to communicate culturally competent and inclusive emergency information quickly and effectively by deploying outreach teams to notify other homeless people dispersed throughout the community. Outreach teams making notifications can also transport people to shelters or designated pickup points for evacuation. Outreach teams employed by homeless service providers are familiar with homeless communities, have