(a) The Office of Disability Integration shall:(1) provide technical assistance to the Director of VITEMA and other VITEMA officials, and all VITEMA programs and services to deliver the agency’s mission to execute a comprehensive plan and program for emergency management for the Territory by helping people, including people with disabilities, before, during and after disasters, focusing on integrating the needs of people with disabilities into those programs and services;(2) develop strategies to promote the integration of the needs of people with disabilities into the design and implementation of new programs, as well as identifying potential barriers to access and developing strategies to eliminate those barriers;(3) assist stakeholders to assess and increase disability competency and capacity to serve people with disabilities across the spectrum of emergency preparedness and response;(4) provide education and training to people with disabilities and their caregivers, emergency planners, first responders, and other members of the community who play a role in providing assistance to people with disabilities in an emergency;(5) develop and distribute brochures, booklets, guides and other materials and tools that people with disabilities and their caregivers can use to prepare for an emergency;(6) collaborate with VITEMA officials responsible for training to ensure that qualified experts develop easily accessible training materials and curricula for training emergency response providers, government officials and others on the needs of persons with disabilities;(7) provide for the coordination and dissemination of best practices and model evacuation plans for individuals with disabilities;(8) provide for the accessibility of transportation options for persons with disabilities in the event of an evacuation; and(9) perform such other duties as may be provided by law or as assigned by the Director of VITEMA.
(1) provide technical assistance to the Director of VITEMA and other VITEMA officials, and all VITEMA programs and services to deliver the agency’s mission to execute a comprehensive plan and program for emergency management for the Territory by helping people, including people with disabilities, before, during and after disasters, focusing on integrating the needs of people with disabilities into those programs and services;
(2) develop strategies to promote the integration of the needs of people with disabilities into the design and implementation of new programs, as well as identifying potential barriers to access and developing strategies to eliminate those barriers;
(3) assist stakeholders to assess and increase disability competency and capacity to serve people with disabilities across the spectrum of emergency preparedness and response;
(4) provide education and training to people with disabilities and their caregivers, emergency planners, first responders, and other members of the community who play a role in providing assistance to people with disabilities in an emergency;
(5) develop and distribute brochures, booklets, guides and other materials and tools that people with disabilities and their caregivers can use to prepare for an emergency;
(6) collaborate with VITEMA officials responsible for training to ensure that qualified experts develop easily accessible training materials and curricula for training emergency response providers, government officials and others on the needs of persons with disabilities;
(7) provide for the coordination and dissemination of best practices and model evacuation plans for individuals with disabilities;
(8) provide for the accessibility of transportation options for persons with disabilities in the event of an evacuation; and
(9) perform such other duties as may be provided by law or as assigned by the Director of VITEMA.