A Review of the United States Disaster Assistance Framework: Planning for Recovery

A review of the disaster recovery literature and observations in practice shows that the three types of assistance (funding, policy and technical assistance) provided before and after disasters has not been described collectively, including their potential to function as an interconnected system guided by an operational plan. Instead, past work has tended to focus on individual elements of programs and policies, funding sources, or the means by which recovery policies are implemented. This approach has led to a limited understanding of the process and the suboptimal application of disaster assistance. The purpose of this research is to describe the organizations found in the disaster aid network, the types of aid they provide, and how they can be more effectively integrated into a broader, action-oriented framework. The proposed model is intended to more accurately describe the approach taken in the United States, while assisting practitioners more effectively coordinate the process, emphasizing the potential role of planning.