Services

Research and Evaluation

Public Health Emergency Preparedness Assessment and Planning Module

The Public Health Resource Group (PHRG), headquartered in Portland, Maine, consults with associations, local and state governments to develop effective integrated approaches to improve public health emergency preparedness in communities, regions and states. Building upon its 15-year history, the Public Health Resource Group (PHRG) has developed and implemented innovative assessment and planning tools for public health emergency preparedness activities based on the ten essential public health services framework. The ten essential public health services framework, developed in 1994 by the Essential Public Health Services Work Group of the Core Public Health Functions Steering Committee, along with The Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) seven preparedness core capacities provide a foundation for understanding the scope of public health services in times of emergency and then implementing a comprehensive solution that involves all stakeholders.

With its expertise, experience and planning tools used in over 80 different engagements in the US and the developing counties, PHRG has fashioned a state-of-the-art process (the Public Health Emergency Preparedness Assessment and Planning Module) to identify and plan health initiatives to strengthen the capacity and response system of a community, public health jurisdiction or health system in an emergency or threat. PHRG has used this process in assessment, design and planning projects for the Health Alert Network (HAN) and the National Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NEDSS).

Since September 2001 there has been a national effort to create a public health system that is better prepared to respond to emergencies and public health threats. PHRG has been involved for those past 3 years in providing services that identify gaps and develop plans to strengthen the public health infrastructure at local, regional and state levels. Our assessment tools and processes utilize all aspects of communications media (e.g. Internet, phone, paper) to fully capture the current capacity of public health organizations and systems, as well as communication and integration with critical stakeholder agencies (e.g. ER, police, fire, EMS) to respond to bioterrorism events, infectious disease outbreaks, and other public health threats and emergencies. Once the capacities of the current public health response environment has been captured, PHRG delivers a comprehensive plan for setting implementation priorities, compare capacities, including identifying gaps with the public health essential services framework and CDC / HRSA critical capacities and benchmarks along with delivering an evaluation plan to measure ongoing progress.

For more information on how this assessment and planning module works and how it could benefit you please contact Gary Cattabriga by phone (207-761-7093) or by Email.

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