LOUISVILLE, Ky., May 7, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ResCare, Inc., the country's largest private human services company, has been awarded a national contract by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide personal and home health care to survivors of presidentially declared disasters in any of the 50 states. The Company would, in most cases, provide care to the elderly and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities at FEMA-established shelters or in the individuals' own homes.
ResCare will offer personal assistance services to people who may ordinarily receive the services from family members, friends, paid caregivers or volunteers who are not available at the shelter site. The personal assistance can involve everything from grooming, toileting and bathing to catheterization, administering medications and other services people with disabilities and the elderly would need if evacuated to a general population shelter.
"While I pray we are never called upon to provide these services, I am proud FEMA has put its trust in us to respond if disaster strikes," said ResCare President and Chief Executive Officer Ralph G. Gronefeld, Jr.
"ResCare is the only company of its kind that has the expertise and experience to answer the call, with more than 35 years of experience providing supports to people with developmental and other disabilities. In those many years, we have responded during hurricanes, ice storms, tornadoes and other disasters to ensure the health and safety of the people we serve. ResCare has evacuated large groups of individuals, set up and run shelters and provided caregivers for people who could not care for themselves."
ResCare has a group of on-call workers who can travel to a disaster site on short notice. The Company also has satellite communication ability, transportation availability and disaster planning expertise.
About ResCare
ResCare is a human services company that provides residential, therapeutic, job training and educational supports to people with developmental and other disabilities, to seniors who need in-home assistance, to youth with special needs and to adults who are experiencing barriers to employment. Based in Louisville, Ky., ResCare and its 45,000 dedicated employees serve some 57,000 people daily in 42 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and Canada. For more information about ResCare, please visit the Company's website at www.ResCare.com.
The United States Government does not endorse either the opinions expressed in the article, or any private entity.