OEP Newsletter: April 14, 2003

April 14, 2003

In this issue:

Emergency Preparedness Funding Update

CDC and HRSA Funding to States

On March 20, Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson announced $1.4 billion to be provided to states this year to help them enhance preparations against terrorism or other public health emergencies.

Part of the funding ($870 million) supports enhancement of states’ public health agencies (CDC funding), and the rest ($498 million) is provided to states to support hospital preparedness for possible bioterror or other mass casualty events (HRSA funding).

The funding is part of a total of about $3.5 billion in HHS funding this year for bioterrorism preparedness, including research into potential bioterror disease agents and potential treatments and vaccines. The fiscal year 2003 funding is up from about $1.8 billion for these activities in 2002.

Minnesota will receive an estimated $15,101,600 for Public Health Emergency Preparedness and $8,542,551 for Hospital Preparedness. The MDH is still awaiting guidance from the CDC and HRSA on the application requirements for this funding. This guidance is expected in the next few weeks.

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Smallpox Information

 

International Fire Chiefs Smallpox Information

The article addresses specific issues for firefighters including personal medical history, training, post vaccination follow up and the IAFF position on the vaccination program.

Information About Smallpox Now Available In Several Languages

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is now offering a series of three basic fact sheets on smallpox in Hmong, Russian, Somali, Spanish and Vietnamese. The three fact sheets that include Facts About Smallpox, Getting Vaccinated Against Smallpox, and Who’s Being Vaccinated Against Smallpox?

The newly translated versions of the fact sheets are available on the MDH Smallpox website.

Translations of the Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are also available at that same website. In addition to the five languages noted above, the VIS is also available in Cambodian, Croatian and Laotian.

MDH officials are encouraging anyone who serves or works with non-English-speaking communities to download the newly translated fact sheets. The fact sheets can be used in any way that would be useful in providing information about smallpox or the current vaccination effort.

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Training Opportunities for Local Public Health

Introduction to the Incident Management System for Public Health Professionals and Their Communities

On Wednesday, April 23, at 9:00 a.m. to12:30 p.m. a satellite training opportunity on the incident management system will be offered to participants throughout Minnesota.

Disaster Planning Drills and Readiness Needs Assessment

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is sponsoring a series of free Web-assisted audio conferences for State, local, and health system policymakers on the topic of Bioterrorism and Health System Preparedness.

The next audio conference, entitled “Disaster Planning Drills and Readiness Assessment,” is scheduled for Tuesday, April 15, 2003 from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. EDT.

Other Training Opportunities:

The University of Minnesota Center for Public Health Education and Outreach/Midwest Center offers a variety of training opportunities for public health and first responders.

Scholarships for some programs may be available. You can obtain information regarding this by contacting Contact Sue Larson at 612-626-4512.

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Updated Monday, 22-Nov-2010 09:12:05 CST