The Federal Government Supported Disaster Case Management Programs, but Breaks in Federal Funding and Coordination Challenges Hindered Assistance

Multiple federal agencies provided resources for disaster case  management programs to help thousands of households cope with the  devastation caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, but breaks in federal  funding and coordination challenges adversely affected the delivery of  these services to some hurricane victims. FEMA, HUD, and HHS Supported a Variety of Disaster Case Management Programs for Hurricane Victims, but Breaks in Federal Funding Adversely Affected Services to Some

More than $231 million of FEMA and HHS funds have been used to  support disaster case management programs to assist victims of  Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. 1). Breaks in federal funding for disaster case management programs initiated  after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita adversely affected case management  agencies and may have left victims most in need of assistance without  access to case management services. Difficulties in coordinating disaster case management services resulted in  a lack of accurate and timely information sharing between federal  agencies and case management agencies. 2). Case Managers Faced Challenges in Meeting Client Needs Due to Federal Funding Rules on Direct Assistance and Difficulties in Accessing Needed Resources Through the Long-Term Recovery Committee Process

Case management agencies saw the ability to provide direct financial  assistance for items such as home repairs, clothing, or furniture as key to  helping clients with their basic needs; yet such assistance was not always  available. Case  management agencies that were part of KAT or that provided services  under FEMA-funded programs, including the state-managed DCM-P  program in Mississippi and the Disaster Housing Assistance Program, were  not permitted to provide direct financial assistance. While long-term recovery committees were a resource for case managers  to obtain direct assistance to address clients’ unmet needs, in some cases,  the efforts to utilize these committees were unsuccessful. FEMA Plans to Use Ongoing Evaluations of Pilot Programs to Inform the Development of a Federal Disaster Case Management Program for Future Disasters; However, Early Evaluations Had Limitations

Several agencies’ evaluations of the various disaster case management  pilot programs are ongoing, but to date, little is known about program  outcomes. FEMA does not plan to conduct its own  outcome evaluation, but will determine lessons learned and best practices  from third party evaluations of ongoing pilot programs submitted by each  of the agencies administering a pilot program. FEMA agreed with our recommendations, and,  according to a FEMA official, the agency is hoping to formalize the  program in June 2010.
Why GAO Did This Study

As a result of the damage caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, the federal government funded several disaster case management programs. These programs help victims access services for disaster-related needs. This testimony addresses the following questions: 1) How did the federal government support disaster case management programs after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and how did federal agencies coordinate their efforts?; 2) What challenges did disaster case management agencies experience in delivering services under federally funded programs?; and 3) How will previous or existing federally funded programs be used to inform the development of a federal case management program for future disasters? This testimony is based on a July 2009 report (GAO-09-561). To complete this report GAO reviewed federal laws, regulations, and guidance, obtained data from two programs, conducted site visits to Louisiana and Mississippi, and interviewed case management providers and federal and state officials. For this testimony, GAO updated certain information.

What GAO Found

The federal government provided more than $231 million to support disaster case management programs for victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita; however, breaks in federal funding hindered service delivery, and federal agencies and case management agencies faced coordination challenges. A lack of accurate and timely information sharing and incompatible data systems may have left some victims most in need without access to disaster case management services. Case management agencies experienced challenges in delivering federally funded disaster case management services due to staff turnover and large caseloads, limited community resources, federal funding rules, and a lack of coordinated outreach. For example, case management agencies saw the ability to provide direct financial assistance for items such as home repair, clothing, or furniture as key to helping victims, yet case management agencies that provided services under FEMA-funded programs could not provide direct financial assistance. Long-term recovery committees were a resource for case management agencies to obtain direct assistance, but utilizing these committees was sometimes unsuccessful. Ongoing evaluations of disaster case management pilot programs will inform the development of a federal disaster case management program, but to date, little is known about program outcomes. FEMA plans to analyze third-party evaluations submitted by the agencies administering the pilot programs to determine lessons learned and best practices for the future. According to an agency official, FEMA hopes to formalize the new program in June 2010.