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Here is a compelling, multifaceted analysis of California´s effort to ensure that acute care hospitals survive earthquakes, and function afterward. Covers public policy design and administration, hazard mitigation investment by targeted organizations and more.

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The negative consequences of natural hazard events are staggering and growing. Governments are acting to increase community resilience, reduce losses, and facilitate recovery, but these actions do not always yield anticipated consequences. This book is a compelling interdisciplinary analysis of California´s efforts to ensure that acute care hospitals survive earthquakes and continue to function in the aftermath. The book weaves together several threads essential to understanding the effectiveness of public policies intended to reduce the consequences of natural hazard events: public policy design and administration, the hazard mitigation investment decision made by targeted organizations, and contextual dynamics.

"A terrific study of shortfalls in the implementation of risk-reduction policy -- highly readable, full of insights, and very policy relevant." Peter J. May , Donald R. Matthews Distinguished Professor of American Politics, University of Washington, Seattle USA

"This is an exceptional book by three of the leading hazard mitigation researchers and must reading for both scholars and practitioners in the field." William A. Anderson , National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences.

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Chapter 1. The Starting Point: A Confluence of Questions about Policy Design and Implementation
Part 1 SB 1953: THE ORIGINS AND THE EXPERIENCE THROUGH 2010
Chapter 2. Origins and History of California Seismic Building Retrofit Regulations
Chapter 3. The Road to SB 1953
Chapter 4. SB 1953: The Law, the Program, and the Implementation Challenge
Chapter 5. Implementing SB 1953: 1998 into 2005
Chapter 6. Implementation: Circa 2005 Through 2010
PART 2. OBSTACLES TO IMPLEMENTATION: BEYOND THE USUAL SUSPECTS
Chapter 7. OSHPD, Administrative Agencies in General, And Implementing SB 1953
PART 3: BEYOND THE USUAL SUSPECTS: THE REGULATED PARTIES, PREREQUISITES TO ACTION, AND THE HAZARD MITIGATION INVESTMENT DECISION
Chapter 8. Organizational Responses: Introduction to Hazard Mitigation Investment Decision Making in Hospitals
Chapter 9. Prerequisites to Organizational Action
Chapter 10. Organizational Differences in Hazard Mitigation Investment Decision Making: Inside the Organization
Chapter 11. Organizational Differences in Hazard Mitigation Investment Decision Making: Outside the Organization
PART 4: BEYOND THE USUAL SUSPECTS: PUBLIC POLICY DESIGN AND CONTEXTUAL DYNAMICS
Chapter 12. Mindsets, Policy Design, Congruence, and Related Obstacles to Policy Implementation
Chapter 13. Dynamic Contexts and Public Policy Implementation
PART 5. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
Chapter 14. The Ecology of Public Policy Implementation

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