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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Kristine Gebbie, DrPH, RN¹, Joan Valas, PhD(c), NP², Michael Reilly, MPH, REMT-P³, Wilmer Alvarez, MPH³, and Julie Piotrowski³. (1) School of Nursing, Columbia University, 617 W. 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, 212-305-1794, kmg24@columbia.edu, (2) Center for Health Policy, Columbia University School of Nursing, 630 West 168th St., New York, NY 10032, (3) National Disaster Preparedness Center, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, 722 W. 168th St., New York, NY 10032

Statement of Purpose The presentation describes development of Guide to Contracting for Public Health Emergency Response Exercises. This resource provides guidance to public health organizations assessing of contractor capacity to develop and implement emergency preparedness exercises. Discussion will illustrate key decision points about need for or use of a consultant, and the use of available resources when planning an emergency exercise.

Background to Project: The session will present a useful guide for public health organizations deciding on use of a contractor to develop and implement public health preparedness exercises. The project grew out of a response to requests from state health departments for such criteria, given experiences with contractors who make apparently responsive proposals, but are then not able to effectively manage a public health-related exercise

The session will describe the steps in selecting the materials from the CDC guidance to the states, DHS/FEMA guidance on exercises, NACCHO Public Health Ready criteria, an exemplar group on lessons learned on exercises, an exercise flow chart developed by the Center for Health Policy, the RAND materials on exercise evaluation and the expert panel consulted. Key steps in decision-making will be presented

Learning Objectives:

• 1. Identify the local agency’s needs to for a consultant when planning an emergency exercise
• 2. Recognize the key public health agency decision-making points in contracting for an exercise
• 3. Identify available resources about public health emergency response exercises that might inform contractor decision-making

Keywords: Bioterrorism, Health Departments

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered

Handout (.pdf format, 135.8 kb)