Recorded presentation

Scott C. Voss, MPH and Kristine M. Martin, MPH. Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Program, Johnson County Health Department, 11875 South Sunset, Suite 300, Olathe, KS 66061, 913-477-8316, scott.voss@jocogov.org

Public health emergency/bioterrorism planning is a complex process requiring the input of various stakeholders from multiple disciplines. This process is further complicated by the geo-political boundaries of the Kansas City metropolitan area which is comprised of 116 cities and eight counties in two states. Each jurisdiction has its own biases, agendas, and objectives that make consensus building a difficult task. In an effort to overcome these challenges, a regional committee was formed to provide planning leadership and a unified voice for public health. The large membership of this committee was a barrier to the development of regional consensus. To address this issue the committee was reorganized to utilize a task force structure. This allowed for the definition of the overall strategic focus and the appointment of committee members to specific task forces. These smaller working groups are assigned a set of objectives, required to develop a plan and present recommendations for approval. The application of this approach has provided a system for obtaining consensus among multiple jurisdictions. This process has been the key to efficiently developing regionalized plans that meet the needs of all stakeholders and has the potential to be universally applicable to any group of jurisdictions confronting similar geo-political challenges.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Recognize complexities inherent to emergency planning involving multiple jurisdictions.
• Describe lessons learned from planning initiatives in a diverse, bi-state, metropolitan region.
• Develop a strategy for regional planning utilizing consensus-building techniques.

Keywords: Bioterrorism, Planning

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation