CPHD Projects
Assessing the Public Health Impacts of Hurricane Katrina
Centers for Public Health Preparedness (CPHP)
Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health
Los Angeles County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Agency
Los
Angeles County Public Health CERT Training
Los Angeles County Public Health-FBI Joint Investigation
Assessing the Public Health Impacts of Hurricane Katrina
The Center received funding from the National Science Foundation to examine the public health impacts of a large-scale emergency and correlate those with the hazard, damage, and post-event activities. The study will provide essential information that can be used to improve decision-making regarding mitigation, preparedness, and response activities that can reduce the potential for short and long-term health burdens as a result of hurricanes.
CPHD collaborates
with state and local public health agencies to educate and train front line
public health practitioners to prepare for and respond to bioterrorism and other
public health threats and emergencies. The Center provides education and training
services including: assessing the training needs and capacity of the public
health workforce in both the core public health competencies and competencies
in emergency preparedness; developing emergency response plans and annexes;
conducting on-site, all-hazards training tailored to each agency; designing,
implementing, and evaluating exercises that are HSEEP-compliant; and offering
technical assistance to agencies to improve their emergency preparedness and
response capacity.
CPHD has also developed online resources to assist agencies with their emergency
public health preparedness such as Writing a Disaster
Plan: A Guide for Health Departments and the Hazard
Risk Assessment Instrument (HRAI), a unique tool designed for use as a standard
approach to hazard risk assessment that is adapted to the public health impacts
of hazards. Additionally, the Center hosts a nationally recognized annual conference
as well as regional workshops on topics in emergency public health.
CPHD is part of a national network of Centers
for Public Health Preparedness (CPHP) funded by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention through Grant/Cooperative Agreement U90/CCU924253.
Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health
The Center for Public Health and Disasters is working with the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH) to develop a catastrophic mental health concept of operations and an operational incident management protocol. In addition, the Center will develop a training curricula for LA County DMH staff and contractors as well as other disaster mental health providers or entities operating in LA County.
All materials will build upon existing expertise and will be evaluated to ensure that a comprehensive disaster mental health incident management strategy is established. The resources will address the complexity of cultural diversity, special needs, and other unique characteristics and will integrate evidence-based practices, interventions, and competencies.
Los Angeles County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Agency
The Center for Public Health and Disasters is working with the Los Angeles County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Agency to support the County as a participant of the National Hospital Preparedness Program (NHPP) to provide a pilot system for the triage of psychological causalities. CPHD will pilot PsySTART™, a comprehensive system that includes an evidence-based rapid triage tag and an Internet accessible application to manage the collection and analysis of post-disaster psychological impact data. The PsySTART™ system also includes a National Incident Management System (NIMS) compliant disaster mental health incident management system (MHIMS). This system will be used in the thirteen (13) Disaster Resource Center (DRC) hospitals and a health clinic DRC in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles County Public Health CERT Training
The Center for Public Health and Disasters is working with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health to develop an optional Public Health module for trained Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members. The goal of this 1/2 day module is to provide CERT volunteers with tools and strategies that will enable them to continue to protect their neighborhoods in the event of public health emergencies involving environmental health, infectious diseases and prolonged loss of utility infrastructure resources.
Los Angeles County Public Health-FBI Joint Bioterrorism Investigation
The Center for Public Health and Disasters is working with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health in furthering their relationship with the FBI and creating a regional model for collaboration between law enforcement and public health.