Stories from the Field Earthquakes in Puerto Rico

The Puerto Rico Department of Health (PRDOH) used the emPOWER Emergency Response Outreach Dataset to identify at-risk individual residences in areas impacted by severe earthquakes and directed community outreach teams comprised of PRDOH officials, Medical Reserve Corps volunteers, local nursing school students, and others to conduct wellness checks across five municipalities. Outreach teams located 166 at-risk individuals and provided them with referrals to behavioral health services, as needed, as well as informational resources and contacts for behavioral health, hygiene, human services and housing services, the Emergency Prescription Assistance Program, and other federal assistance programs.