NOVEMBER 2011 HOT TOPICS
RAND Work Provides Insight into Reforms Proposed to the Stafford Act and Newly Released National Disaster Recovery Framework
On September 23, 2011 United States Senators Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., and Thad Cochran, R-Miss., introduced the Disaster Recovery Act of 2011. The Act proposes reforms to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act that are aimed at improving the nation's capability to recover from disasters. On the same date, the National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF) was released, providing a conceptual guide to how federal agencies will work together to meet the needs of states and communities during disaster recovery.
The proposed reforms to the Stafford Act and core principles of the NDRF cluster around five key areas where RAND has relevant studies that offer additional insight and context for the proposed reforms.
- Establishing negotiated contracts pre-disaster
- Tracking financing and measuring return on investments
- Engaging private-sector and nonprofit organizations
- Rebuilding smarter, and with help from the affected community
- Meeting the needs of children
 Read More about the Five Key Areas
Relevant RAND Work
Navigating the Road to Recovery: Assessment of the Disaster Case Management Pilot in Louisiana
Technical Report | Research Brief
Reducing Future Flood Damage in New Orleans Through Home Elevation and Land Use Changes
Research Brief
Residential Insurance on the U.S. Gulf Coast in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina: A Framework for Evaluating Potential Reforms
Occasional Paper | Research Brief | News Release
The Role of Nongovernmental Organizations in Long-Term Human Recovery After Disaster
Occasional Paper | News Release
The Nongovernmental Sector in Disaster Resilience: Conference Recommendations for a Policy Agenda
Conference Proceedings
Enhancing Public Health Emergency Preparedness for Special Needs Populations: A Toolkit for State and Local Planning and Response
Technical Report
Follow the Money
Commentary
Helping Children Cope with Violence and Trauma: A School-Based Program That Works
Research Brief
The Lender-Placed Flood Insurance Market for Residential Properties
Technical Report | Research Brief
Recent Publications
Incentives for Elevating New Orleans Homes Can Reduce Flood Damage
Nonstructural measures--such as restrictions on the use of floodplain land and incentives for home elevation and for relocation to lower-risk areas--can make New Orleans less vulnerable to storm surge and can do so cost effectively. Planners should combine these measures with additional wetlands restoration and levee upgrades to reduce future storm damage.
Read the Research Brief
Ensuring that the Affordable Care Act Gives Vulnerable Populations Access to Health Care
Frequently lost in discussions about implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which will become law in 2014, is whether it will reduce longstanding disparities in the U.S. health care system. This question is particularly relevant in states with large populations of the vulnerable poor such as Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. RAND Health researcher Robin Weinick argues for a Disparities Impact Assessment prior to and throughout the implementation of ACA to examine the impact on health of policies in sectors that may seem only indirectly related.
Read the Commentary
Near-Term Opportunities for Integrating Biomass into the U.S. Electricity Supply: Technical Considerations
Biomass is expected to become an increasingly important source of electricity, heat, and liquid fuel. One near-term option for using biomass to generate electricity is to cofire biomass in coal-fired electricity plants. Among the technical and logistical constraints to using biomass, the main challenge is maintaining a consistent supply of biomass energy resources (organic matter, typically trees or plants, grown and harvested for the purpose of producing energy). According to the report, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama have the capacity to export biomass to relatively resource-poor regions.
Read the Full Document
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