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The widespread flooding produced by Hurricane Harvey affected approximately 6 million people, including people living with mobility, sensory, cognitive, and mental health disabilities. Given a disability rate of 18.7% in Texas, approximately a million people with disabilities have been directly affected by this disaster. 

Our Center is providing support to rebuild Texas in two ways:

  1. Technical Expertise on the needs of individuals with disability recovering from Hurricane Harvey
  2. Disability Awareness training and accessibility information for rebuilding the affected areas.

Dr. Laura Stough headshotThe Center on Disability and Development and Project REDDy (Research and Education on Disability and Disaster ) have been actively responding to the needs of individuals with disabilities experiencing Hurricane Harvey. Since the hurricane made landfall on August 25th, Center faculty, staff, and students have providing information and technical assistance to disaster-related organizations at the local, state, and national levels. Dr. Laura Stough, Director of Project REDD, has provided leadership through:

 

Over the last three weeks, Project REDD has:

  • Distributed the Mobile TIPs for First Responders to over 200 organizations, including offices of emergency management, towns, and shelters in the affected areas. The Mobile TIPs provides disability-related information for first responders and shelter workers via an online app
  • Project REDD website at has been continually updated with state and federal resources of assistance to Hurricane Harvey survivors.
  • Updated the Directory of Community Resources for Individuals with Disabilities lists 3000 resources and organizations in Texas. The database is searchable by zip code
  • Created the REDDy Directory (REsources for Disasters and Disability), which will provide long-term recovery information about Harvey-related resources and information for caseworkers for and families of people with disabilities. The REDDy Directory will be released in September.
  • Produced an article on “Research Counts: Helping with Hurricane Harvey” distributed by the Natural Hazards Center. Also provided listings of resources through the Hazards Center