Ageing and Disability Focal Point

Developed by several agencies, among them CBM and Humanity & Inclusion (HI), "Ageing and Disability Focal Points - ADFPs" (sometimes also called named "Disability and Vulnerable Focal Points") aim to ensure that women, men, girls and boys with disabilities and older people are included in emergency response.

Such focal points have now been used in a number of emergencies and has proved to be very useful for:

1. Identifying and mapping relief services provided by different structures during the emergency;
2. Identifying and referring persons with disabilities and older people to relevant relief services as well as to more specialised services (such as: Maternal health, Rehabilitation, Mental health...) where necessary;
3. Involving DPOs, women, men, girls and boys with disabilities and older people in the emergency response and building their capacity to advocate for inclusive humanitarian action.

These Ageing and Disability Focal Points can be fixed or mobile in structure, depending on the context of the emergency situation. They can have out-reach components or smaller satellite focal points in more remote areas. If there are scarce services for more specific needs, such as rehabilitation, provision of assistive technology or psychosocial support. In some occasions, where specialised services might be scarce or located far away, the focal points can provide temporary services within the same structure. 

Focal points can be identified and trained in advance as part of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) strategies in areas at risk of emergencies. Trainings could include, for example in the field of Mental Health, short Psychological First Aid training that can help ADFPs staff to respond appropriately to people distressed by an emergency.