Deb Hendricks, Showcased By Influential Women, Ensures People With Disabilities Are Not Left Behind When Disaster Hits

JEFFRERSON CITY, MO, UNITED STATES, October 28, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Disaster Preparedness Coordinator at the Missouri Department of Mental Health Applies Decades of Public Service and Personal Advocacy to Emergency Planning for Individuals With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Jefferson City, Missouri – Deb Hendricks is the Disaster Preparedness Coordinator specializing in Developmental Disabilities at the Missouri Department of Mental Health. Her work covers disaster planning, emergency response preparedness, and incident planning for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, a population that is disproportionately affected by disasters. Her specialties include emergency management, disaster preparedness, and disability inclusion and advocacy. Among her most meaningful contributions are disaster emergency preparedness guidebooks and disability alert cards that help individuals, families, caregivers, and emergency responders plan for and respond to critical situations.

Deb began her career with a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication from Truman State University, originally aiming to become a newspaper reporter. She worked for her local newspaper before moving into public service as a communications specialist with the State of Missouri. She then spent 19 years as a Public Information Officer with the Missouri Department of Social Services, including eight years supporting the Children’s Division, where she contributed to initiatives such as the Fatality Review Panel.

Her career next took her into emergency management. As Voluntary Agency Liaison with the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency, Deb focused on emergency human services, access and functional needs, and mass care. She later served as School Safety Academy Coordinator with the Missouri School Boards’ Association, where she developed training programs for school safety professionals. Each of those roles built on her communication skills and deepened her understanding of how communities prepare for and respond to emergencies.

Her current work addresses a gap that is often overlooked in emergency planning. During disasters such as floods, tornadoes, severe storms, or extended power outages, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities may face added barriers, including difficulty understanding rapidly changing instructions, reliance on specific medications or medical equipment, and challenges communicating with first responders. Deb’s guidebooks help individuals and caregivers plan ahead, while disability alert cards give responders essential information quickly, so they can provide appropriate support in stressful moments. By bridging the worlds of emergency management and disability services, she helps ensure that preparedness plans account for everyone in a community.

Deb attributes her success to her passion for advocacy and her commitment to meaningful change for people with disabilities. Her son, Chance, who has Down syndrome, is a major source of motivation and inspired much of her work in disability advocacy and disaster preparedness. She wants people with disabilities to have the resources and support they need to stay safe and prepared, especially during emergencies. Her success, she believes, is driven by purpose, compassion, and the conviction that proactive solutions protect lives and build a more inclusive world.

For young women entering emergency management, Deb’s advice is to stay open to opportunities, even when they do not match their original plans. Career paths are rarely straight, she notes, and are more like a jungle gym than a ladder, with unexpected turns that can lead people exactly where they are meant to be. Her own journey from aspiring newspaper reporter to disaster preparedness leader is proof of that idea.

Deb illustrates that lesson with a familiar story about a person stranded on a roof during a flood who turns away a boat and then a helicopter while waiting for help from the Lord, only to learn that the boat and the helicopter were the help that had been sent. The message, in her view, is to recognize and embrace opportunities when they appear, to trust the journey, and to step outside one’s comfort zone, since those moments can open unexpected doors.

Deb’s commitment to inclusion extends beyond her professional role. She serves as President of the Central Missouri Miracle League Foundation, which advocates for inclusive recreational opportunities for children and youth with disabilities. Miracle League programs adapt fields and rules so that children with physical and cognitive disabilities can enjoy playing on a team, supported by volunteer buddies. Through that work, she helps ensure that young people of all abilities can play, compete, and belong.

From newsrooms and public information offices to emergency management and disability advocacy, Deb has built a career rooted in public service and community care. Inspired by her son and guided by a belief in proactive planning, Deb Hendricks continues to make sure that every person, regardless of ability, is prepared and protected when emergencies strike.

Learn More about Deb Hendricks:

Through her Influential Women profile: https://influentialwomen.com/connect/deb-hendricks

Influential Women

Influential Women provides a platform where women from all backgrounds can connect, share their perspectives, and create content that empowers themselves and others. Through storytelling, thought leadership, and creative expression, Influential Women amplifies voices that inspire change.

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Written By: EIN Presswire