Inclusive Emergency Management for People With Disabilities: Institutionalization, Antecedents, and Implications for Service Accessibility

This study applies institutionalization theory to investigate disability inclusion in local emergency management agencies across the United States. Using data from a 2024 national survey of county government emergency managers, we examine various mechanisms through which disability inclusion is institutionalized, the factors influencing institutionalization, and the impact of these mechanisms on service delivery and accessibility for people with disabilities. The findings indicate that agencies more commonly institutionalize disability inclusion in planning and coordination than internal operations and organizational structures. Agencies with greater capacity to engage diverse community groups and those in communities with more human and social service nonprofits adopt more institutionalization practices for disability inclusion. Moreover, institutionalization mechanisms show consistent positive associations with emergency service accessibility, with the strongest associations observed for internal operations. Findings also show social disparities, as larger, wealthier or Whiter communities tend to have better access to DHH‐inclusive services.