Crisis communication plays an important role in maintaining a community's safety and security. While governments devote significant attention to national crises, anticipation and preparation specific to local communities is imperative and can assist media outlets, elected officials, and message designers in successfully reaching their intended target audiences. However, local leaders might not possess the communication skills and knowledge needed to prepare a local community for potential crises. Therefore, there is a need for communities to have support systems in place to help them respond and communicate appropriately. This volume provides a comprehensive resource that provides the knowledge and guidelines that can be used for localized crisis preparation. Focusing on crisis preparedness/readiness, it discusses and extends the anticipatory model of crisis management (AMCM) in the establishment of crisis communication centers (CCCs) within local communities and municipalities across the U.S. The authors advocate for communities to create CCCs that would be comprised of municipal and community members who can fulfill specific functions on a team tasked with preparing for crisis, as well as responding to a crisis aftermath. Directions for future research such as the comparison of specific crisis prevention strategies across similar local communities, and developing new and innovative ways to collect and warehouse large amounts of crisis data, is provided.

Health Care Disparities and the LGBT Population addresses a people whose lack of health care access, including mistreatment and refusal of services, are often omitted from discussions about health care and insurance reform. Research suggests that LGBT people experience worse health outcomes than their heterosexual counterparts. Low rates of health insurance coverage, high rates of stress due to systematic harassment, stigma, discrimination, and lack of cultural competency in the health care system frequently manifest in negative health-related behaviors. The dearth of data collection on sexual orientation and identity in state and federal health care surveys has led to inadequate information about LGBT populations, and has impeded the establishment of health programs and public policies that benefit them. With its diverse perspectives, this book will not only benefit LGBT people, but will also more broadly improve the lives of entire communities, medical care, and prevention programs and services. This research provides a better understanding of the social and structural inequalities that LGBT populations experience. Improvements to our country's health care system should go beyond just providing universal insurance and should ensure equitable health care for all.

This co-edited volume addresses a population of people whose lack of health care access, mistreatment in health care settings, and refusal of health care services are often omitted from discussions about health care disparities and insurance reform. The perspectives and needs of LGBT people should be routinely considered in public health efforts to improve the overall health of every person and eliminate health disparities. Previous research suggests that LGBT people experience worse health outcomes than their heterosexual counterparts. Differences in sexual behavior account for some of these disparities, but others are associated with social and structural inequities. Low rates of health insurance coverage, high rates of stress due to systematic harassment, stigma, and discrimination, and a lack of cultural competency in the health care system frequently manifest in negative health-related behaviors. The lack of data collection on sexual orientation and identity in state and federal health care surveys leads to inadequate information about LGBT populations and impedes the establishment of health programs and public policies that benefit them.This volume's research will increase people's understanding of the social and structural inequalities that LGBT populations experience. With its diverse perspectives, this book will not only benefit LGBT people, but will also more broadly improve the lives of entire communities, medical care, and prevention programs and services. Improvements to our country's health care system should go beyond providing universal insurance and should ensure equitable health care for all.

Crisis communication plays an important role in maintaining a community's safety and security. While governments devote significant attention to national crises, anticipation and preparation specific to local communities is imperative and can assist media outlets, elected officials, and message designers in successfully reaching their intended target audiences. However, local leaders might not possess the communication skills and knowledge needed to prepare a local community for potential crises. Therefore, there is a need for communities to have support systems in place to help them respond and communicate appropriately. This volume provides a comprehensive resource that provides the knowledge and guidelines that can be used for localized crisis preparation. Focusing on crisis preparedness/readiness, it discusses and extends the anticipatory model of crisis management (AMCM) in the establishment of crisis communication centers (CCCs) within local communities and municipalities across the U.S. The authors advocate for communities to create CCCs that would be comprised of municipal and community members who can fulfill specific functions on a team tasked with preparing for crisis, as well as responding to a crisis aftermath. Directions for future research such as the comparison of specific crisis prevention strategies across similar local communities, and developing new and innovative ways to collect and warehouse large amounts of crisis data, is provided.