National Commission on Children and Disasters

National Commission on Children and Disasters
Name	National Commission on Children and Disasters
Formation	2009
Dissolved	2011
Purpose	Assess preparedness and response for children in disasters
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Leader title	Chair
Leader name	William S. Reilly
Parent organization	United States Department of Homeland Security

Contents

National Commission on Children and Disasters The National Commission on Children and Disasters was a federal advisory body created to evaluate emergency preparedness, response, and recovery for children during natural and man-made crises. It operated under a mandate to review federal statutes, Department of Homeland Security policies, and practices of agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Health and Human Services, and Department of Education to produce recommendations for executive and legislative action. The Commission’s work intersected with major events and institutions including Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Sandy, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Institute of Medicine.

Background and Establishment

Congress established the Commission in the wake of high-profile disasters and reports highlighting vulnerabilities experienced by children during crises, including analyses from the Government Accountability Office, the National Academy of Sciences, and advocacy by groups like the American Academy of Pediatrics and Save the Children. The enabling legislation emerged from deliberations in the United States Congress following hearings involving members of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The Commission held public sessions in venues such as the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and partnered with academic centers including Harvard School of Public Health and Columbia University for subject-matter expertise.

The Commission’s statutory mandate required assessment of federal preparedness and the development of actionable recommendations to reduce risks to children in disasters, focusing on public health systems like the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, educational continuity through the Department of Education, and child welfare systems exemplified by the Administration for Children and Families. Objectives included analyzing family reunification practices used by agencies such as the American Red Cross, evaluating pediatric surge capacity at institutions like Johns Hopkins Hospital and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and ensuring inclusion of children’s needs in planning documents from the National Response Framework and Homeland Security Presidential Directive frameworks.

The Commission assembled a multidisciplinary membership drawn from former elected officials such as Senator Susan Collins and Representative Bennie Thompson, public health leaders associated with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pediatricians from the American Academy of Pediatrics, emergency managers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and academics from institutions like Yale School of Medicine and University of California, San Francisco. Staff support included detailees from the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Health and Human Services, and personnel with prior service in agencies such as the Civil Air Patrol and National Guard. The Commission structured workgroups addressing domains named for partner organizations including the National Association of School Nurses, National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians, and non-governmental actors such as Doctors Without Borders and The Salvation Army.

In its final report, the Commission documented deficiencies in family reunification protocols, gaps in pediatric medical surge capacity, and shortcomings in mental health services for children, citing case studies from Hurricane Katrina, the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, and the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Recommendations targeted statutory reforms to programs administered by the Administration for Children and Families and operational changes at the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report emphasized interoperable data systems referenced in standards promulgated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, enhanced training for professionals from organizations like the American Red Cross and National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, and creation of metrics aligned with work by the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council.

The Commission’s recommendations informed policy actions across multiple agencies, influencing revisions to guidance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, incorporation into preparedness grants administered with the Department of Homeland Security, and legislative proposals considered by the United States Congress. Federal partners including the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education adopted elements related to school-based continuity planning and pediatric medical countermeasure distribution that echoed Commission language. Nonprofit and philanthropic actors such as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Kaiser Family Foundation funded implementation pilots, and academic centers at Children's Hospital Boston and University of Michigan evaluated outcomes.

Critics argued the Commission’s scope and lifetime were insufficient given systemic challenges highlighted by commentators in outlets tied to institutions like The New York Times and analyses from think tanks such as the Brookings Institution and the Heritage Foundation. Some child welfare advocates associated with Child Welfare League of America and legal scholars at Georgetown University Law Center contended that recommendations lacked enforceability and clarity concerning funding streams controlled by committees like the House Appropriations Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee. Debates also arose about the balance between federal leadership and roles of state-level entities such as the National Governors Association and National Conference of State Legislatures.