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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

James R. Nelson, MS, Illinois Public Health Association, 223 S. Third St., Springfield, IL 62701, 217-522-5687, jnelson@ipha.com

From October 2004 to the present, and continuing through September 2006, IPHA's initiative has helped Illinois' health departments integrate the needs of special populations in their community's local emergency management plans. This session will describe components of the initiative and the overall results. Components include: 1. Networking: Creating state and local advisory groups of public health officials, emergency responders and managers, community colleges, media, and agencies/individuals representing various special populations; 2. Education/awareness: Conducting a coordinated sequence of seminars, work shops, and table-top exercises at statewide conferences and arranging for prominent keynote speakers; 3. Training: Providing customized regional training on establishing a special needs advisory panel (SNAP) for public health, emergency management, and special populations; 4. Supporting implementation: Awarding grants to partnerships between local public health and emergency management agencies to address special needs in their emergency plans by establishing and working with a special needs advisory panel. 5. Providing materials: Distributing a variety of emergency management materials to all stakeholders at conferences and training programs, including a detailed implementation manual on establishing a SNAP prepared for IPHA by EAD & Associates, LLC. 6. Enhancing communications: Conducting a special project to provide guidance, materials and support to local health departments for effectively communicating emergency information to people with limited English proficiency or communication impairments. Examples of materials will be displayed and a CD of training materials produced by IPHA will be available.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify components of an effective initiative for including special needs in local emergency management plans.
• Describe activities and services an affiliate can provide that will be valued by local health departments, emergency management agencies, and special populations.

Keywords: Disasters, Special Populations

Related Web page: www.nod.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered