Blog articles
Staying connected
Lost and Found: Reuniting with Loved Ones in an Emergency
An Emergency Action Plan is more than a collection of names, phone numbers, and street addresses. It is an instruction manual for how to stay healthy, stay informed, and stay connected in an emergency.
But what if the people you want to reunite with don't have cellphones, social media, or even thumbs? If you're a parent, a family caregiver, or a pet owner, your Emergency Action Plan should also include vulnerable populations such as children, older adults, and pets.
How Safety Check is Activated on Facebook
It's important that everyone in your household knows how to inform family, friends, and caregivers of their well-being and location when a disaster strikes. Cellphones, the internet, and social media play a key role in staying connected. In an emergency, you can use text messaging and online platforms like Facebook's Safety Check to let loved ones know you are safe.
Mental health
Protecting Our Future: Emergency Preparedness and Children's Mental Health
Among the many lessons learned during the 2017 hurricane season, CDC recognized that addressing children's mental and behavioral health needs is a major concern in hurricane-affected areas.
Early in the response, the critical areas of focus were the emotional impact of the storms and the mental health needs of children who were affected. CDC’s At Risk Task Force (ARTF) worked closely with federal and non-government agencies to address these needs so that children and families had the best chance for recovery.
Emergency preparedness
Pediatrics and Public Health: Working Together to Prepare for Emergencies
Did you know that one in four people in the United States are children? Children represent a large part of our population and they are among our nation's most vulnerable citizens. When a public health emergency or disaster strikes, children are often affected the most.
Scientific articles
*These CDC scientific articles are listed in order of date published, from 2014 to present.
When you click "Read summary"
A Framework for Coordination between Obstetric and Pediatric Providers in Public Health Emergencies: Lessons Learned from the Zika Outbreak in the United States, 2015 to 2017
Leeb RT, Cree RA, Aird L, DeBiasi RL, Driggers RW, Garbarczyk E, Mofenson LM, Needle S, Rodriguez J, Curry C, García F, Godfred-Cato S, Hawks D, Rosenblum E, Dziuban E, Hudak M. American Journal of Perinatology. May 21 2020
[Read summary]
Characteristics Associated With Presence of Pediatric Mental Health Care Policies in Emergency Departments.
Cree RA, So M, Franks JL, Richards RM, Leeb R, Hashikawa A, Krug S, Ludwig L, Olson LM. Pediatric Emergency Care. November 13, 2019.
[Read article]
Building Children's Preparedness at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention One Event at a Time, 2009-2018.
Leeb RT, Franks JL, Dziuban EJ, Ruben W, Bartenfeld M, Hinton CF, Chatham-Stephens K, Peacock G. American Journal of Public Health. September 10, 2019.
[Read summary]
An Evaluation of the Literacy Demands of Online Natural Disaster Preparedness Materials for Families.
So M, Franks JL, Cree RA, Leeb RT. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness. August 6, 2019.
[Read summary]
Extending the Reach of Pediatric Emergency Preparedness: A Virtual Tabletop Exercise Targeting Children's Needs.
So M, Dziuban EJ, Franks JL, Cobham-Owens K, Schonfeld DJ, Gardner AH, Krug SE, Peacock G, Chung S. Public Health Reports. May 16, 2019.
[Read summary]
School District Crisis Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Plans — United States, 2006, 2012, and 2016.
Kruger J, Brener N, Leeb R, Wolkin A, Avchen RN, Dziuban E. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. August 3, 2018.
[Read summary]
Elizabethkingia in Children: A Comprehensive Review of Reported Cases, 1944–2017
Dziuban E, Franks J, So M, Peacock G, Blaney D. Clinical Infectious Diseases. December 2, 2017.
[Read summary]
A Child's Health is the Public's Health: Progress and Gaps in Addressing Pediatric Needs in Public Health Emergencies
Dziuban EJ, Peacock G, Frogel M.American Journal of Public Health. September 11, 2017.
[Read summary]
Characteristics of Children Aged <18 Years with Zika Virus Disease Acquired Postnatally — U.S. States, January 2015–July 2016
Goodman AB, Dziuban EJ, Powell K, Bitsko BH, Langley G, Lindsey N, Franks JL, Russell K, Dasgupta S, Barfield WD, Odom E, Kahn E, Martin S, Fischer M, Staples JE.Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. October 7, 2016.
[Read summary]