Missouri Emergency Human Services
Because every major disaster has a dramatic impact on people and their communities, Emergency Human Services (EHS) is an integral part of Missouri’s emergency management system.
When not responding to an emergency, like other key system components, EHS works to maintain a high state of operational readiness by actively participating in ongoing planning and preparedness activities at the local, state and federal levels.
When disaster strikes, the primary mission of EHS responders is to first understand what services are needed, then to ensure these services are provided quickly and efficiently to the people who need them most. During a disaster response and recovery effort, EHS coordinates essential services for disaster survivors.
However, EHS does not function alone. A number of different but related components of the coordinated response, known as emergency support functions, help comprise the collective EHS effort. These include mass care; health and medical; agriculture; long-term community recovery; pets and companion animals. Although these are key elements, the EHS mission encompasses a wide range of other vital roles and tasks.
EHS partners with non-governmental, community-based, faith-based, and other types of organizations, as well as with other state agencies, to collaboratively prepare for the needs of disaster survivors. EHS staff maintain relationships with these organizations through partnerships fostered through The Governor's Faith-Based and Community Service Partnership for Disaster Recovery (The Partnership), Missouri Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (MO VOAD), and the Missouri Interfaith Disaster Response Organization (MIDRO).
While these support functions are sustained by different agencies and entities, they integrate and collaborate within the response structure’s EHS branch to provide a seamless response to emergencies affecting Missourians. This allows people who are impacted by the disaster to recover more quickly and, in turn, helps their entire communities to become whole again.
Governor's Faith-Based and Community Service Partnership for Disaster Recovery (The Partnership)
The mission of the Governor's Faith-Based and Community Service Partnership for Disaster Recovery (The Partnership) is to aid Missourians' recovery plans by developing and implementing a holistic approach to disaster recovery, maximizing public and private resources to facilitate an efficient and effective integrated system addressing human services, housing, infrastructure, community and economic development issues.
Missouri Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (Missouri VOAD)
Purpose and Objective
The Purpose and objective of Missouri VOAD (MOVOAD) is to coordinate planning efforts of the many voluntary organizations responding to, preparing for, recovering from and mitigating against disaster. Member organizations provide more effective and less duplicative services by organizing efforts before disaster strikes. MOVOAD has proven to be the most effective method for the wide variety of volunteers and organizations that wish to serve towards disaster needs to come together and work through a crisis.
A. Cooperation: To create a climate of openness for the sharing of information.
B. Coordination: To foster understanding, develop advocacy, and deliver services in an integrated manner.
C. Communication: To disseminate information, including a directory of member organizations and resources.
D. Education: To increase mutual awareness and understanding of each organization.
E. Leadership Development: To share resources and support activities to build better leadership within member organizations.
F. Mitigation: To embark upon activities that will lessen the impacts of disasters on communities throughout Missouri.
G. Outreach: Conduct efforts to bring new members to the organization and encourage representation throughout Missouri.
H. Legislations: Encourage effective disaster relief legislation and policy.