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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Samuel Stebbins, MD, MPH and Carrie Jenkins. Center for Public Health Preparedness, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Forbes Allies Center, 3109 Forbes Avenue, Suite 210, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, 412-383-2400, stebbinss@edc.pitt.edu

Major disasters and outbreaks (such as Hurricane Katrina and SARS) that last for weeks and months require an extended public health response. However, local health departments – which lead many aspects of the response – lack the staffing capacity to successfully sustain a comprehensive operational response. This presentation describes a novel approach which utilizes staff and faculty from a School of Public Health as surge capacity volunteers. Staff and faculty at a School of Public Health are excellent resources because of their knowledge and experience. By training and integrating them into the local health department's crisis functions, this pool of volunteers are prepared to serve during a crisis and the local health department is better poised to mount and sustain an effective response. In addition, most schools of public health are in metropolitan areas which are likely sites for either deliberate bioterrorism attacks or concentrated outbreaks. Our approach is one that other local health departments and Schools of Public Health could develop and implement as a practical, yet very effective method to increase public health capacity when needed. This presentation will also discuss some of the additional benefits that accrue from developing a closer working relationship between these two historically divergent entities.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify lessons learned and specific recommendations about integrating the local health department and academia workforces.
• The public health practitioner will be provided with survey tools to assess faculty and staff's willingness to volunteer as well as the skills that they could use during an extended public health crisis.
• Describe the program used to train and integrate the volunteers in the functions of the local health department.

Keywords: Emergency,

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation