303861
Summit County Public Health Residential Delivery Model for Countermeasures
The purpose of this project was to explore alternative, more effective methods of dispensing medical countermeasures from the Strategic National Stockpile to the residents of Summit County, Ohio during a 48 hour operating period. Summit County’s plan was to activate three locations within in the county to act as Point of Dispensing Sites, where residents would be directed to in order to receive the prophylactic countermeasures. Summit County is comprised of approximately 539,832 individuals, 222,781 households, and 141,110 families reside in the county. Utilizing this method each site would have to have a throughput rate of approximately 7,498 individuals an hour, which equates to 125 individuals a minute moving through each site. After a review, significant challenges were identified that could impede the dispensing of life-saving treatments in an efficient and timely manner. Identified challenges included the political issues of the site locations versus the socioeconomic status of the surrounding locations, site accessibility to those populations with limited transportation options, literacy levels and understanding of the medication use, and concerns surrounding congregating individuals with mental and emotional health issues and those individuals with a criminal history. Based on this review, Summit County Public Health is moving forward on the development of a residential delivery model for medical countermeasures utilizing public school buses and other available transportation resources throughout the county. Summit County has organized a team to lead this initiative with representation from Summit County Public Health, Summit County Emergency Management Agency, Akron Police Department and the Summit County Educational Service Center. The team has completed a needs assessment and drafted the concept of operations section for the plan. Subsequent planning has also included individual site assessments and the implementation of Mutual Aid Agreements.
Learning Areas:
Administration, management, leadershipOther professions or practice related to public health
Protection of the public in relation to communicable diseases including prevention or control
Public health administration or related administration
Learning Objectives:
Describe how a residential delivery model for countermeasures can reduce access barriers for disadvantaged populations.
Keyword(s): Emergency Preparedness, Accessibility
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the project director for the Public Health Emergency Preparedness Grant for Summit County Public Health in Ohio for two years and have worked on Strategic National Stockpile Planning for seven years.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.