MMI's Dr. Mirnics named to new national advisory committee

Karoly Mirnics, MD, PhD, director of the Munroe-Meyer Institute, has been named to the newly formed National Advisory Committee on Individuals with Disabilities and Disasters.

Dr. Mirnics, who was sworn into the new role on March 30, will help evaluate issues and programs and provide findings, advice and recommendations to support and enhance all-hazards public health and medical preparedness, response activities and recovery related to meeting the unique needs of individuals with disabilities.

The NACIDD will advise the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) on actions HHS can take before, during and after disasters and emergencies to meet the unique needs of individuals with disabilities.

"Dr. Mirnics is a well-recognized national leader in this field, who is leading the Munroe-Meyer Institute to greater national prominence as well," said Jeffrey P. Gold, MD, chancellor of UNMC. "The UNMC community continues to provide national leadership in many key areas of policy and sincerely congratulates Dr. Mirnics on this prestigious national appointment."

Dr. Mirnics will be an alternate voting and work group member of the committee, attending all meetings and voting when certain voting members cannot attend.

The group will work with ASPR, DHHS, NIH, FEMA and other federal organizations.

"We will be the ones who will develop the policies to assist people with disabilities in the case of a disaster," Dr. Mirnics said. The committee will consider such questions as:

How do you identify a person with a disability or intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) who needs help?
How do you alert emergency response organizations, such as FEMA, to the need?
What transportation must be arranged?
What mobility or communication assistive devices are needed, and how are they supplied?

"Basically, the question is, if there is an emergency, who takes care – and how do they take care – of the disability and IDD population?" Dr. Mirnics said. "And how does that trickle down to the local level from the federal level?"

In a letter to the committee supporting the appointment, Tim Shriver, PhD, chair of the Special Olympics, praised Dr. Mirnics’ ability.

"Dr. Mirnics’ experience in disaster planning, preparedness and response for people with ID has been critical to the COVID response for our athletes, from the moment the pandemic hit," Dr. Shriver said. "Dr Mirnics … has been instrumental to the development and implementation of the COVID return-to-activities protocol that is in current use for the more than 5 million Special Olympics athletes in 200 countries."

Dr. Mirnics said he was excited by the opportunity to make a difference.

"In a disaster, you never first think of individuals with IDD; it is always an afterthought. This committee raises awareness, but it also sends the message that we care and we can provide an additional layer that is needed.

"Here, we can make a difference. The difference can be made on the family level, the city level, the state level. I’ve done those things, so why not try to make a difference at the national and international level?

"The other thing I’m excited about is learning – learning from other people’s experiences and expertise, connecting with other people who are deeply dedicated to our cause or their respective area."

The NACIDD appointment is Dr. Mirnics’ second new national/international level appointment in 2022. In March, he also was confirmed as the chair of the medical advisory committee for Special Olympics International.