Oral

This workshop will focus on the training of a pool of interpreters to be activated in the event of a public health emergency. Skilled language consultants were used in terminology sessions targeting Spanish, Haitian Creole, Cape Verdean Creole and Vietnamese, as a means for addressing barriers to health care. Another presenter will discuss California’s local health department’s emergency preparedness model and also discuss the California Health Officers Association statewide public health preparedness assessment. Further, an author will present a case study of experiences dealing with insurance companies, federal relief and public safety agencies focusing on three parts, i.e., planning, damages, recovery and compensation, and Herbert Hoover Dike Emergency Preparedness Planning. We will also present the outcome of a report conducted by three public health institutes that were actively involved in their respective states (Illinois, Kansas, Michigan) in conducting local capacity assessments using the CDC capacity inventory.

Session Objectives: Participants should be able to: Recognize how language and culture impact emergency preparedness planning and implementation. Define the level of effort and resources required for the development and successful implementation of an emergency preparedness program. Prioritize the services and functions required to recover from a disaster event. Understand and describe the usefulness of a CDC produced standardized tool in performing capacity assessments.

CE Credits: CME, Health Education (CHES), Nursing