Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #112431

Lauren N. DiSano, MHS, Environmental Health Program, Association of Public Health Laboratories, 2025 M Street NW, Suite 550, Washington, DC 20036, 202.822.5227, ldisano@aphl.org

The session provides an overview regarding activities, progress, and remaining needs in chemical terrorism (CT) laboratory preparedness. Emerging threats to the homeland necessitate state public health laboratories (SPHLs) readiness in responding to various public health threats, CT being among the most under-funded/under-researched. To achieve adequate preparedness in the presence of limited state funding, SPHLs have come to depend on the federal government for improved public health policy, funds, training, and information. In 2002, APHL initiated a project to evaluate national laboratory readiness for CT events. That November, APHL members responded to a first-ever survey assessing CT laboratory preparedness. In 2003, SPHL representatives from 50 states and 2 territories attended a workshop in Atlanta, Georgia on the topic. Partially resulting from this workshop and an APHL report detailing CT survey findings, improvement in receipt/allocation of funds for CT laboratory preparedness occurred. Data from this first survey proved critical for demonstrating the essential value of preparedness funding in building/enhancing laboratory capacity. Although the first data collection provided valuable information, acccurately assessing preparedness is a continuous process, and not accomplished by a single survey. To justify the need for additional resources and document progress, APHL readministered the survey in 2004 to obtain current CT preparedness data. Data obtained from 50 states, DC, & Puerto Rico yielded information on funding, facility, worker safety, instrumentation, sample handling, staff/training, coordination/response plans, and laboratory information management systems (LIMS). Nationwide, CT laboratory preparedness improvements have been made, however, results of the 2004 survey highlight several significant remaining gaps.

Learning Objectives:

• *To familiarize session attendees with the role of the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL)
• *To familiarize session attendees with the traditional role(s) of state public health laboratories
• *To familiarize session attendees to new demands/roles of state public health laboratories, namely activities associated with being a designated Level 1, 2 or 3 chemical terrorism (CT) response capability state public health laboratory
• *To report out and interpret results from APHL’s 2004 Chemical Terrorism Laboratory Preparedness Survey
• *To demonstrate the ongoing need for increased capability and capacity at the state public health laboratory level and to dscuss the critical need for improved/increased integration of CT laboratory preparedness as a unique and fundamental component of all-hazards public health response

Keywords: Environmental Health, Essential Public Health Services

Related Web page: www.aphl.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation