Engaging the Public in Critical Disaster Planning and Decision Making

Building on recommendations and guidance from the 2012 IOM report, Crisis Standards of Care: A Systems Framework for Catastrophic Disaster Response, the IOM Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Catastrophic Events sponsored an interactive workshop at the National Association of County and City Health Officials Public Health Preparedness Summit, held March 12-15, 2013, in Atlanta, Georgia. 

The workshop aimed to provide practitioners with guidance and key principles of public engagement. It examined theories and practices of public engagement, explored challenges and lessons learned, and included sample public engagement exercises. This document summarizes the workshop.