When wildfires hit the Los Angeles area early this year, it was a wake-up call for many of us in the Undivided community. If you’re raising a child with a disability, you already know how much planning and support goes into your daily life. And during a natural disaster, those needs don’t go away. In fact, they often become even more urgent.
Whether it’s a fire, earthquake, flood, or even a simple power outage, unexpected emergencies can seriously impact our kids, especially if they rely on medical devices or need extra support with changes in routine. We don’t want to create anxiety for our kids by talking too much about “what ifs,” but we do want to be ready.
Create an emergency plan that works for your family
We’ve pulled together some simple, realistic tips to help you think through your child’s specific needs, create a plan that actually works for your family, and feel more confident knowing you’re as prepared as possible — just in case. Read the article →
If you’re an Undivided member, get a step-by-step walkthrough to create your family’s emergency kit and evacuation plan by adding this goal to your account!
More emergency prep resources for families
- Are you in California? Here are specific resources from the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) and the Regional Center to help your family prepare for natural disasters and stay safe during an emergency.
- Raising a medically complex child? Check out our emergency prep tips — from storing extra medications and supplies to making sure you have backup power for essential medical equipment.
- Need help with utilities? Here’s a list of several assistance programs that California’s public utility companies offer, plus other discounts available to families of people with disabilities.
- On the go? Tune into our bite-sized, AI-powered podcast episode on emergency prep resources in California.
Mental and emotional emergency prep
Emergencies and unexpected changes can leave kids feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or dysregulated. It can help to talk to your kids about what an emergency is, how to respond, and what to expect, especially since emergencies at home can look very different from school emergency drills. Our main emergency prep article includes visual stories, videos, and helpful tools to make talking with your child about emergencies easier. Here are a few more resources to check out:
- Help your child feel safe during big changes.→ Psychologist-approved tips for handling tough transitions.
- Support your child through a provider change. → Tips to help them cope with the loss and adjust to someone new.
- Boost your family’s emotional toolkit before, during, and after a crisis.→ Explore our favorite books, articles, websites, apps, podcasts, and more.
One of our parent members told us, “Undivided is my one-stop shop for everything — any questions/resources for our kids — it’s all there. It really puts my mind at ease with everything else going on in our lives.”
FREE virtual event: RSVP now → Support that eases the back-to-school stress! Join us on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. for a FREE virtual event to hear from Undivided CEO Seth Besse and Navigator Onyx Moore about how Undivided can help you coordinate the back-to-school transition and work with your school team. Plus, get an exclusive first look at Undivided’s IEP Assistant — a tool designed to take the guesswork out of IEPs! Register for free here to get the event link and a full replay if you can’t make it to our live event.
Join us for expert office hours→ Whether your child is already in the Self-Determination Program (SDP) or you’re curious about how to transition from traditional Regional Center services to SDP, we’re here to help you get answers to all your questions! Join us for expert office hours on Wednesday, August 6, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. PT with Undivided’s Self-Determination Consultant Iris Barker to ask your questions on Zoom. If you’re not an Undivided member yet, get started here to join us for office hours every week.
Upcoming Undivided Conversations→ Tune into our Facebook page to watch!
- Saturday, August 2 at 10:00 a.m. PT. – Emergency Prepping with a Child with a Disability. Tune in as experts Kate Movius, founder of Autism Interaction Solutions, and Vance Taylor from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services break down practical tips for emergency planning when you have a child with a disability.
- Sunday, August 3 at 10:00 a.m. PT. Mental Health – Mental Health for Kids with Disabilities. Revisit this conversation between Undivided’s Head of Content, Lindsay Crain, and Clinical Director of CARE-LA, Dr. Lauren Stutman, as they explore the often overlooked mental health needs of children with disabilities and the challenges they face.
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Helping our kids with anxiety can look like reframing their mindset around an anxiety-provoking situation. Hear how from Dr. Lauren Stutman of CARE-LA on our YouTube channel→
Our amazing Navigators have been representing Team Undivided at in-person events all over California this summer! Follow our travels on Instagram at @undividedapp→
Do you have recommendations for future books to feature in our new disability book club for parents? We’d love to hear from you in our private Facebook group→
Know other parents or providers who could use these emergency prep articles, videos, and expert tips? Share Undivided’s resources on LinkedIn→
