State Medical Support Shelters (SMSS)
When evacuations are necessary due to a hurricane or other disaster, shelters are established to accommodate those displaced. OEMS has the responsibility of establishing and overseeing State Medical Support Shelters (SMSS). The SMSS is established to provide shelter for individuals requiring specialized healthcare attention due to a disruption in their community healthcare support system. This includes individuals:
- Evacuating from their homes due to the disaster, and are affected with non-acute/non-infectious health conditions requiring a higher level of medical skill or resource than can be provided in a general population shelter;
- Being moved from a general population shelter and have a reasonable expectation of requiring a higher level of medical care to maintain their usual level of health after evaluation by a medical professional (e.g., telehealth or EMS); or
- Discharged from an in-patient healthcare facility after receiving stabilizing medical care and a medical provider is requiring a higher level of medical skill or resource than can be provided in a general population shelter.
SMSS Patient Movement
For more information regarding the patient movement process with State Medical Support Shelters, please visit our Patient Movement page.
SMSS Submission Links (Password Required)
For more information regarding the submission of planning/patient movement forms, please follow the link below. NOTE: This is password protected, please contact your regional healthcare coalition for the most current password.
