ALEXANDRIA, Va., Dec. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Rev. Larry Snyder, president and CEO of Catholic Charities USA, testified last week before a Congressional Subcommittee on Disaster Recovery to discuss the partnership between the federal government and Catholic Charities USA to provide disaster case management services.

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Based on the collective experience of local Catholic Charities agencies, Fr. Snyder offered the following five recommendations to the Subcommittee:

1. Fund a single national disaster case management program as part of disaster preparedness including infrastructure and readiness for rapid response.
2. Establish a lead federal agency that will have oversight and accountability for ensuring that agreed upon outcomes are established and met.
3. Establish a consistent definition of disaster case management and policies and procedures to be adopted by both federal and non-federal organizations.
4. Identify and implement one database for the collection of information that meets the needs of both federal and non-federal partners with consistency in meeting privacy requirements.
5. Involve key stakeholders in all aspects of the national disaster case management program.

Download Fr. Snyder's complete testimony.

Catholic Charities USA's members -- more than 1,700 local Catholic Charities agencies and institutions nationwide -- provide help and create hope for 8.5 million people a year regardless of religious, social, or economic backgrounds. For almost 300 years, Catholic Charities agencies have worked to reduce poverty by providing a myriad of vital services in their communities, ranging from health care and job training to food and housing. In 2010, Catholic Charities USA celebrates its centennial anniversary. For more information, visit www.CatholicCharitiesUSA.org.

SOURCE Catholic Charities USA

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http://www.CatholicCharitiesUSA.org