Asbestos and Natural Disasters Guide

Written by Michelle Whitmer | Edited By Walter Pacheco | Scientifically Reviewed By Arti Shukla, Ph.D.

Natural disasters such as wildfires, hurricanes, floods and tornadoes can damage asbestos-containing materials and lead to asbestos exposure among first responders, cleanup crews and nearby residents. Learn how to prevent asbestos exposure when preparing for and cleaning up after a natural disaster.

How Is Asbestos a Risk During a Natural Disaster?
A large number of homes and commercial buildings constructed prior to the 1980s were built with asbestos materials. Those products are considered safe as long as they are in good condition. But once ripped, broken, burned, blown or washed away, the products release toxic asbestos fibers into the air.

Breathing in these fibers in the aftermath of a natural disaster can lead to serious health conditions years later. The more someone is exposed to asbestos, the higher their risk of developing asbestos-related diseases such as a cancer called mesothelioma.

Natural disasters pose dangers from the moment they occur. People donā€™t often consider health risks after a tornado rips through their neighborhood or a flash flood destroys their personal possessions.

Asbestos exposure isnā€™t an immediate danger such as live electrical wires, gas leaks or unstable infrastructure. It also isnā€™t as apparent as more obvious health risks such as black mold. Asbestos fibers are microscopic and travel by air or in clouds of dust, so you can be exposed and not even know it.

It is essential to consider and properly prepare for asbestos exposure prevention when planning for natural disasters and severe weather. Knowing how to keep safe from asbestos after a disaster can help prevent health conditions later in life.

Who Is at Risk of Asbestos Exposure During a Disaster?
As the first people on the scene, emergency response crews and early response volunteers face an increased risk for asbestos exposure in the wake of a natural disaster because of all the debris. The risk of health effects increases over time and depends upon frequency and amount of exposure to asbestos to these workers.
Top First Responder Occupations at Risk
Firefighters
Law enforcement officials
Emergency response workers (FEMA, American Red Cross, etc.)
Enlisted military (Coast Guard, Navy, Army, etc.)
Cleanup crew members (private contractors, state and local agencies,volunteers)
Homeowners of damaged properties also face these risks and should alwaysuse caution when cleaning or searching through debris.

Products Containing Asbestos
There are dozens of asbestos-containing products in older construction such as single-family homes, apartment complexes, office buildings, churches and schools. These products are considered safe if they are in good condition and left undisturbed in walls, floors and the ceilings and roofs of structures.

But natural disasters pose a threat to these products which can be damaged by winds, fires, floods and earthquakes.

If asbestos-containing materials are suspected during cleanup efforts, experts recommend you leave them alone. Stirring up asbestos-containing debris can result in airborne asbestos fibers, and exposure is highly likely at that point.

Common Household Materials Containing Asbestos
Roofing felt
Pipe lagging
Block insulation
Adhesives
Appliance components
Ceiling products
Cement board
Gardening products
Flooring
Paints
Roofing
Table pads
Wallboard
Insulation
Fireplace decorations
Taping compounds and plasters
Electrical insulation and panels
Heating and cooling systems
Asbestos Exposure Prevention After a Disaster
Different types of natural disasters present a variety of asbestos exposure risks. For example, tornados may carry asbestos debris from one location to another, while floods may contaminate local waterways and neighborhoods with asbestos materials.

Fires present a greater risk to firefighters than other emergency responders. Hurricanes pose a variety of exposure threats from related tornados and flooding.

please visit https://www.asbestos.com/asbestos/natural-disasters/ for more information.

Vietnamese Immigrants in the United States

In previous decades, the vast majority of Vietnamese immigrants to the United States arrived as refugees. Recently, most are coming through family reunification channels, either as immediate relatives of U.S. citizens or through other family-sponsored pathways. The change represents an evolution of the Vietnamese immigrant population, which is the sixth-largest in the United States and now includes more than 1.3 million people.

Spotlight on the Changing Demographics of Hispanic Americans

9/28/23 With more than 62.5 million Hispanic Americans recorded in theĀ 2021 American Community Survey, they now comprise 18.8% of the population. Hispanic households collectively earn more than everā€”$1.4 trillion in 2021ā€”allowing them to pay more than $333 billion in taxes. They also fill workforce gaps in industries that face severe labor shortages, such as agriculture, hospitality, construction, and healthcare, making them vital to the U.S. economic engine.

Newly-Arrived Venezuelan Migrants Can Now Apply For TPS Protections.

Venezuelans who arrived in the United States on or before July 31, 2023 are now able to apply for temporary protections that will allow them to receive a social security number and work and live in the country legally, the Department of Homeland Security announced Wednesday.

2023 was hottest year in decades

1/8/24Ā  The European climate agency Copernicus said the year was 1.48 degrees Celsius (2.66 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial times. Thatā€™s barely below the 1.5 degrees Celsius limit that the world hoped to stay within in the 2015 Paris climate accord to avoid the most severe effects of warming. … The 1.5 degree goal ā€œhas to be (kept) alive because lives are at risk and choices have to be made,ā€ Burgess said. ā€œAnd these choices donā€™t impact you and I but they impact our children and our grandchildren.ā€Ā  Key Words:Ā  Climate Change

3 Ways to Make a ‘Breath Break’ Part of Your Daily Routine

The deep, methodical breathing works by stimulating the vagus nerve, which in turn triggers a calming response in the body. “Slowing your breath can lower your heart rate, release tension, and calm your nervous system, relieving symptoms of stress and anxiety” she explains. “It can also help take the focus (away) from thoughts that may be causing you tension, (and moving it) to your breath.”
This article describes three breath exercises to kick things off. Keu Words: Mental Health

Archive – 2019 Financial Literacy Annual Report

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (Bureau) issued its Financial Literacy Annual Report for fiscal year 2019.
Promoting savings has also been a key part of the agency’s work. The Bureau launched Start Small, Save Up, an initiative to encourage the public to save and be better prepared for emergencies or unplanned expenditures. As part of the initiative, the Bureau launched a Savings Boot Camp, a multi-week email course to guide people through the fundamentals of savings.
The Dodd-Frank Act requires the Bureau to report on its work to provide consumers with information to make informed decisions about financial products.

US Living Wage Calculator

The tool helps individuals, communities, and employers determine a local wage rate that allows residents to meet minimum standards of living. Since 2020, childcare expenses are ground-truthed (established data values for all 3142 counties in the country). We collected data from providers and data aggregators with a focus wherever possible on registered child care centers.

14 steps to America for Afghans

8/25/21 Afghans fleeing Kabul aren’t supposed to reach America’s shores until they’ve passed a multi-step vetting process ” 14 steps, in the case of some interpreters and others who helped the U.S military.
Where it stands: The U.S. has helped evacuate more than 70,000 Afghans since Aug. 14. Only a fraction are believed to have entered the U.S. ” though exactly how many isn’t clear.
The number was estimated last week at roughly 2,000, with 800 coming soon. Neither the White House nor the Department of Homeland Security could share updated numbers Tuesday evening.

MALDEF

MALDEF’s mission is to foster sound public policies, laws and programs to safeguard the civil rights of the 40 million Latinos living in the US and to empower the Latino community to fully participate in our society.

Final Public Charge Rule

12/23/22Ā  Ā Only those deemed likely to be primarily dependent on cash aid for income maintenance or long-term care at government expense could be denied for public charge.Ā  Remember, the public charge test only applies to some programs and some immigrants.

Apply for Federal Student Loan Debt ReliefĀ  OMB No. 1845-0167, Exp. Date 4/30/2023

Apply for Federal Student Loan Debt ReliefĀ  OMB No. 1845-0167, Exp. Date 4/30/2023

Application is open, but debt discharge is paused.

As a result of a court order, we are temporarily blocked from processing debt discharges. We encourage you to apply if you are eligible. We will continue to review applications. We will quickly process discharges when we are able to do so and you will not need to reapply.

Dec. 31, 2022 is the day the pause on federal student loans expires. If you have outstanding debt after the amount forgiven, make sure that you have enough money set aside to begin resuming payments in January.

2024 INTERFAITH CALENDAR

A listing of 2023 dates of the primary sacred times for world religions including Judaism, Islam, Buddhist, Hindu,
Christian, Baha’i, Zoroastrian, Sikh, Shinto, Jain, Confucian, Daoist, Native American, Materialism,
Secular Humanism and more. . Very convenient to avoid conflicts when scheduling events for multi-cultural populations.

Final Public Charge Rule

12/23/22 Only those deemed likely to be primarily dependent on cash aid for income maintenance or long-term care at government expense could be denied for public charge. Remember, the public charge test only applies to some programs and some immigrants.

Dial 211 for Essential Community Services

In many states, dialing “211”Ā provides individuals and families in need with a shortcut through what can be a bewildering maze of health and human service agency phone numbers. By simply dialing 211, those in need of assistance can be referred, and sometimes connected, to appropriate agencies and community organizations in the county where the caller is located. Key Words: Resource Directory. Multi-lingual:
Spanish |
Vietnamese |
Chinese |
Tagalog |
Korean |

Visa Interview Wait Times Reach New Highs: 247 Days for Visitors / ?Business Travelers

7/19/22 The State Department is failing to fulfill its responsibilities under immigration law. The huge wait times are distorting the U.S. economy, its labor market, and international investment. They are harming U.S. businesses who need consumers and workers. They are keeping Americans and immigrants from being able to visit with their families. It is an embarrassment to our country, and it is completely unacceptable. Congress should investigate this failing department and require it to process visas in accordance with the law.

The Missing Link: Connecting Eligible Asylees and Asylum Seekers with Benefits and Services

Multiple options exist under current law to improve asylees’ links to the benefits and services for which they are eligible, as this report explores, and doing so would help support asylees’ well-being and integration. The U.S. communities in which they live would also reap benefits from these investments as asylees upskill to meet staffing shortages, contribute to local economies, and become active members of their communities.

Accessibility Checker

Many programs have accessibility checkers that are built-in or easy to add after a simple internet search. For example, the Microsoft Office Suite includes a handy accessibility checker that makes it quick and easy to review a Word document for accessibility. While this automated checker doesn’t always catch every issue, it’s a great starting point. The checker offers tips for fixing issues and can teach you to avoid making the same mistakes again.

Inclusive Emergency Management Community

This Community brings together emergency management professionals and community stakeholders who are currently working in or interested in inclusive emergency management. The Community provides a space for us to access diverse connections, knowledge, experiences, and ideas that help us expand the inclusive emergency management movement and work smarter, more efficiently, and with less friction in our own roles.

Archive – FEMA Diversity Awareness Course IS-0020.22:

2022 This course recognizes the benefits of diversity in our workforce and FEMA’s commitment to valuing the diversity of its employees and customers. By the end of this course, you will be able to:
**Define what is meant by diversity.**Describe how diversity benefits us individually and collectively.**State FEMA’s Vision of Diversity.**Describe the agency’s commitment to diversity as stated in FEMA’s Diversity and Inclusion Plan.**Describe how culture influences our interactions with others.**Describe the actions you can take to optimize diversity.3 Employees Looking at Computer Monitor Clock
This course should take approximately 60 minutes to complete.

VIISTA – Villanova Interdisciplinary Immigration Studies Training for Advocates

VIISTA is one of the first university-based online certificate program to train immigrant advocates. Designed by an interdisciplinary team of leading faculty, lawyers, and NGOs, VIISTA revolutionizes education about the law by educating legal advocates (akin to nurse practitioners in health care). Students who complete the program will be eligible, under existing regulations, to apply to become Department of Justice “accredited representatives,”Ā authorized to provide low-cost legal representation to migrant and refugee families when they work for DOJ “recognized organizations.”

Disaster & Religion App

The Disaster and Religion App.helps disaster responders better serve America’s diverse religious communities and build partnerships with religious leaders, with easily accessible religious literacy and competency information on 27 unique religions. It was created by the National Disaster Interfaiths Network (NDIN), New York Disaster Interfaith Services (NYDIS), and the University of southern California Center for Religion and Civic Culture (CRCC).

Tests for people who are blind or have low vision

6/30/22 Testing is a critical part of the fight against COVID-19, but some people who are blind or have low vision face barriers using many of the COVID-19 tests on the market.
A new initiative to expand the availability of testing options that are more accessible for people who are blind or have low vision. This initiative complements the Administration’s efforts to expand production of more accessible tests and work with private sector partners on the development of new accessible tests.
Order online or by calling 1-800-232-0233.

Cultural Quick Reference Guides

These two-page Cultural Quick Reference Guides support the provider-client relationship by giving country-specific information on cultural norms, health practices, and courtesies to observe to enhance communication. Languages and literacy, personal greetings, naming conventions, and non-verbal signals are included to support optimal provider-client interaction. Facts about TB in country with details on stigma, traditional remedies, and beliefs, will aid providers in better understanding patient expectations regarding treatment. From the SE National Center for Tuberculosis (SNTC) Available for: Afghanistan, China, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Mexico and Ukraine.

Biden signs bill to create commission studying AAPI museum

6/13/22 President Joe Biden on Monday signed “H.R. 3525″or the “Commission To Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture Act” into law, telling those assembled at the East Room of the White House that generations of AAPI individuals “have literally shaped the history and the contours of this country.”Ā

40% of AAPI LGBTQ youths have considered suicide in last year

4/20/22 The survey from the Trevor Project found that 40 percent of LGBTQ youths who are Asian American or Pacific Islander, or AAPI, have seriously considered suicide in the past year. Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian youths experienced the highest rate, at 49 percent, followed by Korean American youths, at 47 percent, and Filipino American youths, at 41 percent.
The report also includes responses from Indian, Vietnamese and Chinese American LGBTQ youths.

CIELO Indigenous Interpreters

The fundamental piece of CIELO’s work is to create new leadership and nurture the growth of leaders through the National Indigenous Interpreters conference and the continuous CIELO’s workshops that are held all year long.
Multi-language: Indigenous, Spanish Key Words: Translation, Mixteco, Language Access

Maya Interpreters

INTERPRETATION AND TRANSLATION AGENCY
Our interpretation agency is here to help you. Request an interpreter for legal, medical, social, immigration, court and business purposes. Multi-language: Maya Key Words: Indigenous, Language Access

REFUGEE PROCESSING CENTER (RPC)

The Refugee Processing Center (RPC) is operated by the U.S Department of State (DOS) Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) in the Rosslyn section of Arlington, Virginia USA.
At the RPC and at Resettlement Support Centers (RSCs), an interactive computer system called the Worldwide Refugee Admissions Processing System (WRAPS) is used to process and track the movement of refugees from various countries around the world to the U.S. for resettlement under the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).

Esperanza United Language access plan template

This Language access template is designed to help your program create or enhance your language access plan. The template includes sample language that is relevant for working with survivors with limited English proficiency. The template is offered as a PDF document that is editable with Adobe Acrobat, and options for sample language that you can adapt to fit your organizational and community realities.

THE LONG TAIL OF AFGHAN RELOCATION AND RESETTLEMENT: Achievements, Obstacles, and Opportunities

4/22 REPORT TO THE OPERATION ALLIES WELCOME UNIFIED COORDINATION GROUP – Short-sightedness in identifying preferred relocation and resettlement solutions has come at the expense of devising sustainable, long-term strategies. Every step of the
way, Afghans in the US have been met by agencies trying to address their needs while dealing with staffing and funding shortfalls and already full case loads. In addition to strains on the resettlement program, the crisis has also put an enormous strain on legal service providers, who are necessary to implement long-term strategies.

FACT SHEET: The Biden Administration Blueprint for a Fair, Orderly and Humane Immigration System

7/27/21 Today the Administration is releasing a blueprint that outlines the next steps Federal agencies will be taking to continue implementing the President’s transformative vision for a 21st century immigration system that secures the border, fairly and efficiently considers asylum claims, strengthens regional migration management efforts in North and Central America, and addresses the root causes of migration from Central America. Success in building this fair, orderly, and humane immigration system won’t be achieved overnight, especially after the prior Administration’s irrational and inhumane policies, but this Administration has a blueprint to get there and is making real progress.

DHS Working with Local Law Enforcement – 287(g) Program Overview

7/21 Section 287(g) of the INA allows the DHS to enter into formal written agreements (Memoranda of Agreement or MOAs) with state or local law enforcement agencies and deputize selected state and local law enforcement officers to perform certain functions of federal immigration agents. The MOAs are negotiated between DHS and the local authorities and include delegation of authority to a limited number of state and local officers. All of this must be done under the supervision of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Deputized officers are required to abide by federal civil rights laws and regulations. In general, deputized officers are authorized to:
287(g) End-of-Year
Report

Just Serve

JustServe.org is a website where the volunteer needs of organizations may be posted and volunteers may search for places to serve in the community, providing opportunities to help those in need and enhance the quality of life in the community.
JustServe is a service to help link community volunteer needs with volunteers and does not discriminate based on race, religion, gender, ethnicity, or sexual orientation in posting projects or in encouraging volunteers to serve according to our guidelines. Sponsored by the LDS Church

Archive – 2022 Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month

In 1978, a joint congressional resolution established Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week. The first 10 days of May were chosen to coincide with two important milestones in Asian/Pacific American history: the arrival in the United States of the first Japanese immigrants (May 7, 1843) and contributions of Chinese workers to the building of the transcontinental railroad completed May 10, 1869. In 1992, Congress expanded the observance to a monthlong celebration that is now known as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

HOUSES OF WORSHIP SECURITY SELF-ASSESSMENT

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has developed a baseline security self-assessment that is designed for a person, with little to no security experience, to complete a security assessment.
Houses of Worship (HOW) security self-assessment USER GUIDE | Houses of Worship
Security Self-Assessment
| The assessment, when completed, will provide an easy to follow road map for implementing suggested voluntary options for consideration
|

SCC Section 8 Interest List

Santa Clara County Housing Authority (SCCHA) would like to remind you to update your information or refresh your application in the Interest List for the Section 8 program. Or, if you haven’t signed up yet, the Interest List is always open and taking applications!
The Section 8 Program is a federally funded rental assistance program that helps eligible low-income individuals and families pay for rental housing. Interested households may register to be considered for two types of rental assistance, either a Housing Choice Voucher or a Property Voucher. Multi-;language:
Spanish |
Vietnamese |

Immigration reform could prevent food prices from harming consumers

6/3/22 Our national security is tied to our ability to feed ourselves. As former officials who served in the Bush administration, we see an urgent need to address the labor shortage in the agricultural industry by fixing our immigration system. That would allow farmworkers to contribute to the economy free from uncertainty and fear and keep food on the tables of America’s families at lower costs.

COVID-19 Funding Stalls Over Immigration Dispute as Virus Cases Tick Up

4/8/22 For weeks, the White House has pressed Congress to pass new funding in order to keep up the federal government’s testing capabilities and purchasing power of therapeutics and vaccines. Senate negotiators struck a bipartisan agreement on Monday to replenish those funds. But a day later, the GOP blocked a procedural vote over an immigration-related public health order.

Addressing Learning Loss in Disadvantaged Kids

4/8/22 Students with disabilities, those learning English and students who live in rural communities learn at the same rate during the academic year – and often faster – than their peers who are not disadvantaged, but they lose much more ground over the summer, according to new research from the nonprofit education policy and assessment organization NWEA.

The finding bolsters calls by Education Secretary Miguel Cardona for state education officials and school leaders to offer intensive summer learning programs for students who have incurred the steepest academic losses due to chronic interruptions to learning during the pandemic.

Path to Permanent Residency for TPS Beneficiaries Restored

On March 21, 2022 USCIS agreed to restore a path to permanent residency for Temporary Protected Status beneficiaries. Because of this settlement, TPS beneficiaries impacted by then-Acting Director Cuccinelli’s policy will be able to reopen and dismiss their removal orders and apply to adjust their status to become permanent residents”eliminating the threat of deportation if their TPS protections are revoked in the future.
Multi-language: Spanish

26 Steps to Preparedness Workbook

This workbook from Campbell CERT shows you how to build an emergency preparedness food, water and supply kit over the course of several weeks or months at a pace that fits into your already busy life. We’ve created this tool drawing from the guidelines of several authoritative agencies (FEMA, Ready.gov, Red Cross, and Santa Clara County Fire). Our Food & Water Calculator is designed to give you an idea of your food and water needs for the number of people in your household.
For more information, contact 26steps@campbellcert.org.

IAN Non-profit Resource Center (Immigrant Advocate Network)

The Immigration Advocates Network (IAN), a program of Pro Bono Net, is dedicated to expanding access to immigration legal resources and information through collaboration and technology. IAN was created in 2007 by leading immigrants’ rights organizations, to increase access to justice for low-income immigrants and strengthen the capacity of organizations serving them. We create our own tools, build platforms for others, and work with partners to harness the power of technology and collective action to better support immigrants and their advocates.

WHAT SHOULD I KNOW WHEN ENROLLING MY CHILDREN IN PUBLIC BENEFITS?

3/21 Programs like Medicaid, CHIP, ACA Marketplace Coverage, School Breakfast & Lunch, WIC and SNAP (“food stamps”) help your children lead healthier lives. You may have questions about whether your child’s use of these health and nutrition programs will affect your
immigration status or your application for a green card. This document provides answers to frequently asked questions to help you make good decisions for your family. Key Words: Public Charge

Types of Student Loan Forgiveness, Cancellation, and Discharge

The terms forgiveness, cancellation, and discharge mean nearly the same thing, but they’re used in different ways. If you’re no longer required to make payments on your loans due to your job, this is generally called forgiveness or cancellation. If you’re no longer required to make payments on your loans due to other circumstances, such as a total and permanent disability or the closure of the school where you received your loans, this is generally called discharge.

Drowning just below the surface: The socioeconomic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic

11/22/21 The COVID-19 pandemic has had major economic, as well as health, impacts on every nation in the world. It has amplified existing inequalities, created new ones, and destabilized communities”reversing development gains made in recent decades.
The enormous socioeconomic impacts of COVID-19 are wide-ranging and have not affected everyone equally. Throughout this pandemic, those facing the greatest vulnerabilities have been the people and groups most neglected by society”those who were already drowning just below the surface. Multi-language:
Spanish |
Arabic |
French |

Trauma-informed instruction for immigrant students

More and more educators across the country are learning about the impacts of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on students. Researchers estimate that half of the U.S. student population has experienced or is still experiencing some type of trauma, violence, or chronic stress
For immigrant students, the sources of trauma may be complex and may be related to:
***the reasons the family left their home country (such as war or wide-spread violence)
***difficult conditions, violence, sexual assault, or casualties during the journey to this country
***forced separation from a parent or sibling on the journey
***Experiences related to immigration enforcement
trauma and anxiety can impact students’ behavior and the importance of getting a complete picture of the source of the issue before taking steps that can have long-term consequences for the student.

SEPARATION AND STIGMA: Transgender Youth & School Facilities

2017 Schools across the country have a legal obligation to
enforce policies that protect students from harassment
and discrimination”and that obligation includes
protecting transgender students from discrimination,
harassment, and violence. Unfortunately, too many
transgender students experience school to be a place
where they are unsafe and unsupported”a place where
they can’t even safely use the restroom. A school’s
responsibility and ability to keep all students safe is not
compromised by allowing a transgender student to use
the facilities consistent with their gender identity. When
schools deny transgender students access to these
facilities, they are inflicting profound harm on these
students, and making it impossible or unsafe for some
transgender students to attend school at all.

Will the U.S. receive Ukrainian refugees?

3/11/22 The Russian invasion of Ukraine has triggered the swiftest refugee displacement crisis in Europe since World War II, prompting more than 2.5 million people to flee the country during the conflict’s first two weeks.
While President Biden said Friday that the U.S. should welcome them “with open arms,” the U.S. will likely not receive large numbers of Ukrainian refugees in the immediate future, immigration policy experts said.
As of March 11, most Ukrainian refugees have fled to neighboring countries, 1.5 million of them to Poland, 225,000 to Hungary and 176,000 to Slovakia. Tens of thousands have also crossed into Russia, Romania and Moldova. Another 282,000 have left for other European countries, including Germany.

Housing for Ukrainian Refugees

3/10/22 UkraineTakeShelter.com is an independent platform connecting Ukrainian refugees with potential hosts and housing.
This website is a public bulletin. We encourage everyone with spare space to post a listing and to mark their listing as filled once they have successfully taken in refugees.
For refugees, UkraineTakeShelter.com asks for your nearest city to display the closest listings. We do not track your precise location. Hosts are only required to provide minimal information, such as their city and contact information. Multi-language: English, Ukrainian, Russian, Polish, German, French, Dutch, Slovakian, Spanish and more.
For more information: ukrainetakeshelter@gmail.com.

FHFA Mortgage Translations Clearinghouse

An easy-to-use collection of translated documents and tools to assist lenders, servicers, housing counselors, and others in helping mortgage borrowers who have limited English proficiency? (LEP). Created by FHFA, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac in collaboration with industry, consumer, and government partners, the SITE contains resources such as translated documents, borrower education materials, a standardized glossary of mortgage terms, and more.
Multi-language: English, Spanish, traditional Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Tagalog.
Key Words: Language Access, housing

2023 HHS Language Access Plan Update

If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating effectively in English, you may need an interpreter or document translation in order to have meaningful access to programs funded by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).Ā Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 requires recipients of Federal financial assistance to take reasonable steps to make their programs, services, and activities accessible by eligible persons with limited English proficiency. Read the Press ReleaseĀ  Ā Lea el comunicado de prensa en espaƱolĀ Ā Ā é˜…čÆ»äø­ę–‡ę–°é—»ēØæ (Chinese – Simplified) Ā  Ā  閱讀äø­ę–‡ę–°čžēØæ (Chinese – Traditional)Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Read the ReportĀ – PDFĀ Ā Ā Leer el informe (Spanish)Ā – PDFĀ Ā Ā é˜…čÆ»ęŠ„å‘Š (Chinese – Simplified)Ā – PDF*Ā  Ā é–±č®€å ±å‘Š (Chinese – Traditional)Ā – PDF*Ā  Key Words: LEP, Language Access, equitableĀ 

The Black-White Wealth Gap Left Black Families More Vulnerable

12/20/20 The COVID-19 pandemic has inflicted devastating effects on the U.S. economy, with job losses especially concentrated among women, minorities, and low-wage workers. Economists have described the uneven and unequal economic recovery from the COVID-19 recession as a “K-shaped” recovery, characterized by divergent recovery trajectories for the affluent relative to those of less means. While considerable attention has been devoted to examining the preexisting disparities in labor market outcomes that left some households more vulnerable than others to the COVID-19 recession, less attention has been paid to the role of wealth in determining a household’s ability to buffer the pandemic’s economic shocks. Key Words: Equity

Assistance for Governments and Private Non-Profits After a Disaster

FEMA helps state, local, tribal, and territorial governments and certain types of private nonprofit organizations respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies. After an event like a hurricane, tornado, earthquake or wildfire, communities need help to cover their costs for debris removal, life-saving emergency protective measures, and restoring public infrastructure.
FEMA Public Assistance and Program Policy Guide 6/1/20

UndocuBlack: The Cruelty Behind Title 42 and Its Impact on Black Migrants

3/19/22 The official reason for the enaction of the policy by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is to protect Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and the public health from COVID-19, public health emergencies. And to curtail the swarm of people in congregate settings such as that in immigration detention centers. But as all harmful policies, this policy, specifically and disproportionately, affects the Black and brown immigrants who are making the treacherous journey to the U.S. seeking safety from violence, civil unrest, murder and natural disasters.

SAVE Fact Sheet – Information for SAVE Users: Afghan Arrival Categories, Documentation, and SAVE Responses

4/3/22 The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is leading and coordinating ongoing efforts across the federal government to support vulnerable Afghans, including those who worked alongside us in Afghanistan for the past two decades, as they safely resettle in the United States. These Afghan arrivals generally fall within one of four categories that are eligible for resettlement assistance, entitlement programs, and other benefits available to refugees admitted under section 207 of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Training for Mental Resilience and Well-Being for Nurses

Osmosis and #FirstRespondersFirst have collaboratively developed an interactive e-learning course on mental health training for first responders. Self paced and open ended, based on materials and subject matter experts provided by #FirstRespondersFirst, the course includes custom Osmosis animations/videos, text resources, and assessments within 8 core modules each consisting of one or more videos (approximately 11 videos in total for a total of 50+ minutes of video content), other learning materials, and assessment items. The total estimated time to completion will be 3 – 4 hours. This course is entirely free for nurses.
IPMA is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number 6971, for 3.75 contact hours.

2021 Trafficking in Persons Report

Human Trafficking in the Context of a Global Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic is a health crisis with unprecedented repercussions for human rights and economic development globally, including in human trafficking. COVID-19 generated conditions that increased the number of people who experienced vulnerabilities to human trafficking and interrupted existing and planned anti-trafficking interventions. Governments across the world diverted resources toward the pandemic, often at the expense of anti-trafficking efforts, resulting in decreased protection measures and service provision for victims, reduction of preventative efforts, and hindrances to investigations and prosecutions of traffickers. At the same time, human traffickers quickly adapted to capitalize on the vulnerabilities exposed and exacerbated by the pandemic.

Cyberattack on International Committee of the Red Cross

2/4/22 Recently, a sophisticated cyberattack was detected against computer servers hosting information held by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
The attack compromised personal data and confidential ICRC information of more than 515,000 vulnerable people, including those separated from their families due to conflict, migration and disaster, missing persons and their families, and people in detention.
The attack impacted the ICRC system that the American Red Cross uses to conduct the Restoring Family Links program. The ICRC, along with the wider Red Cross and Red Crescent network, jointly runs Restoring Family Links, which seeks to reunite family members separated by conflict, disaster or migration.

Neither Safety nor Health – How Title 42 Expulsions Harm Health and Violate Rights

7/21 Report from Physicians for Human Rights – Toward the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, the Trump administration overrode the objections of public health experts at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and compelled them to issue an order under Title 42 that closed the border to migrants and asylum seekers. The government used public health as a pretext to summarily expel children and adults seeking refuge at the U.S. border more than 980,000 times, while at the same time allowing other types of travelers to continue to cross the border with no testing or quarantine requirements.

Guidelines for the Enforcement of Civil Immigration Law

9/30/21 Revised Policy from Alejandro Mayorkas – The immigration enforcement guidelines require the protection of civil rights and civil liberties. A noncitizen’s race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or gender identity, national origin, political associations, or exercise of First Amendment rights cannot be factors in deciding to take enforcement action. For the first time, they explicitly guard against the use of immigration enforcement as a tool of retaliation for a noncitizen’s assertion of legal rights, such as the right to exercise workplace or tenant rights. The guidelines make clear that immigration enforcement authority shall not be used as an instrument of unscrupulous employers seeking to exploit their employees’ immigration status.

Improving Access to Public Websites and Digital Services for Limited English Proficient (LEP) Persons

12/21 Many entities – government agencies, nonprofits, and businesses – use websites and digital services to provide information and services to the public, to accept applications, and to manage accounts. Individuals with Limited English proficiency (LEP) access these websites and digital services.
Digital services involve the electronic delivery of information, including data and content, across
multiple platforms or devices, such as text, audio, video, mobile applications, and graphics that are transmitted for viewing over the internet. This includes social media (YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, etc.), websites, and applications that enable users to create and share information and content or to participate in social networking. Vital information displayed on these platforms or devices should be accessible to persons with LEP in frequently encountered languages.

Multilingual COVID-19 Resources

This FDA toolkit is designed to help community, health and social service organizations, lay health advisors (promotoras), YMCAs/YWCAs, fraternities, school organizations (e.g., PTAs/PTOs), senior centers, faith-based organizations, and others to share accurate information about COVID-19 vaccines in their social media networks and educational channels using FDA official COVID-19 messages to fight misinformation and vaccine hesitancy. In this toolkit, you will find Twitter, Facebook and Instagram messages and images about the most common myths about the COVID-19 vaccines. Multilingual COVID-19 Vaccines Myths Social Media Toolkit in English, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Korean Tagalog, Vietnamese

Economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on South Asians in the U.S.

10/10/20 Economic and social impacts of the current pandemic that are based on immigration status, employment opportunities, and healthcare access are major issues for South Asians in the U.S. There is wide income inequality with nearly 10% of South Asians in the U.S. living in poverty. Many have low paid and temporary jobs, including in the informal sector, and little to no savings. The pandemic disproportionately impacts these communities but there has been little media coverage. To highlight this gap, we present selected research from our forthcoming manuscript to be published later this month, which are complemented by community-based findings from the recent SAALT report on the disparate impact of COVID-19 across South Asian communities.

SAALT (South Asian Americans Leading Together)

South Asian AmerĀ­iĀ­cans LeadĀ­ing TogethĀ­er (SAALT) is a nationĀ­al moveĀ­ment stratĀ­eĀ­gy and advoĀ­caĀ­cy orgaĀ­niĀ­zaĀ­tion comĀ­mitĀ­ted to racial jusĀ­tice through strucĀ­turĀ­al change, which means we focus on transĀ­formĀ­ing instiĀ­tuĀ­tions while leverĀ­agĀ­ing increĀ­menĀ­tal change as a means to shift conĀ­diĀ­tions and powĀ­er.
Know Your Rights PockĀ­et Cards. in PunĀ­jabi, HinĀ­di, Urdu, Bangla, and Nepali ProĀ­duced by RestauĀ­rant OpporĀ­tuĀ­niĀ­ties CenĀ­ter.

Know Your Rights Poster to hang in the home with a reminder of your rights, what to say, and what to document in case of an ICE (immigration raid 11″ x 17″ POSTER, available in )
English |
Spanish |
Traditional Mandarin |
Simplified Mandarin |
Tagalog |
Korean |
French |

The importance of race, gender, and religion in naturalization adjudication in the US

3/1/22 This study examines group disparities in naturalization approvals by race/ethnicity, gender, and religion. We find that all else being equal, non-White applicants and Hispanic applicants are less likely to be approved than non-Hispanic White applicants, male applicants are less likely to be approved than female applicants, and applicants from Muslim-majority countries are less likely to be approved than applicants from other countries. In addition, we find that race/ethnicity, gender, and religion combine to produce a certain group hierarchy in terms of approval probabilities. For example, Blacks from Muslim-majority countries are much less likely to be approved than Whites from other countries. These findings underscore the continuing importance of race, gender, and religion in the making of US citizens.

Affordable Connectivity Program

The Affordable Connectivity Program is an FCC benefit program that helps ensure that households can afford the broadband they need for work, school, healthcare and more.Ā Ā The benefit provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands.

Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price.Ā Ā The Affordable Connectivity Program is limited to one monthly service discount and one device discount per household.

Go to Affordable Connectivity Program Consumer FAQ for more information and to GetInternet.gov to check your eligibility and start the application online. Eligible households can also enroll through an approved provider.
Spanish |Ā  Ā Vietnamese |Ā  Ā Chinese |Ā  Ā Tagalog |Ā  Ā Korean |

Guide for Developing HighQuality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship

6/13 This guide provides houses of worship with information regarding emergency operations
planning for the spectrum of threats and hazards they may face. It discusses actions that may be
taken before, during, and after an incident in order to reduce the impact on property and any loss
of life and it encourages every house of worship to develop an EOP.

CISA TABLETOP EXERCISE PACKAGE

The CISA Tabletop Exercise Package (CTEP) is designed to assist critical infrastructure owners and operators in developing their own tabletop exercises to meet the specific needs of their facilities and stakeholders. CTEP allows users to leverage pre-built exercise templates and vetted scenarios to build tabletop exercises to assess, develop, and update information sharing processes,
emergency plans, programs, policies, and procedures.
For more information, email CISA Exercises at
CISAExercises@cisa.dhs.gov
Fact Sheet

Archive – Vice President Kamala Harris Swears In President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders

2/3/22 Vice President Kamala Harris swore in 23 members of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (PACAANHPI) The PACAANHPI was created in May 2021, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to advise the President on ways to advance equity, justice and opportunity for the AAPI and Native Hawaiian communities.

COVID Collaaborative

12-9-21 We’ve assembled a diverse and comprehensive team of leading experts in health, education, and the economy to shape the work of the COVID Collaborative, develop consensus recommendations, and engage with state and local leaders across America – ensuring that our efforts are truly from the nation, for the nation.

Asian American Psychological Association (AAPA)

A majority of our rapidly growing community is comprised of graduate students, and early career rising leaders. We are a proud member of the Council of National Psychology Associations for the Advancement of Ethnic Minority Interests (CNPAAEMI) Leadership Development Institute.
Committed to advancing and promoting, learning and teaching, mentoring and networking about mental health in the AAPI communities! Scholarships, awards, online forums, mentorship programs, leadership development program, and annual conventions.
COVID related Mental Health Resources for Asian Americans