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March 25-28: National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) Preparedness Summit
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ASPR Blog: Medical Reserve Corps Supports "Bridge Crossing Jubilee" Honoring the Anniversary of the 1965 Selma Bridge Crossing |
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Every year, on the first weekend in March, Selma, Alabama comes together for the anniversary of the march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge with the annual Bridge Crossing Jubilee – honoring those who marched for freedom and all they sacrificed to support the voting rights movement.
And every year, ASPR’s Medical Reserve Corps provides dozens of team members to ensure people are able to safely and healthily celebrate and remember.
Read the full article on the ASPR blog to learn more. |
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Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) Recipients |
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Medical Response and Surge Exercise (MRSE) Update |
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The MRSE Support Team has resumed hosting monthly office hours to provide technical assistance and discuss any questions about MRSE planning, executing, and reporting. March office hours have not been announced.
As a gentle reminder, we are currently halfway through the fiscal year (FY), and FY 2023 MRSE planning should be well underway. We highly encourage HPP recipients and health care coalitions (HCCs) to assist one another with planning and executing their exercise. The MRSE Support Team and project officers are available to assist with MRSE planning, execution, and Exercise Reporting Tool reviews.
We will be releasing a MRSE Recipient Review Guide to aid recipients in their final review of MRSE Tools before HCC submission to the Coalition Assessment Tool. The guide will be published on the MRSE web page in the coming weeks.
Please submit any questions to your project officer or the MRSE mailbox. You may also request a one-on-one session with the MRSE Support Team by emailing the MRSE mailbox.
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To access the MRSE Situation Manual, Evaluation Plan, Fact Sheet, and Frequently Asked Questions, please visit the MRSE web page on the ASPR website
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To access and submit the MRSE Exercise Planning and Evaluation Tool and the Real-World Incident Reporting and Evaluation Tool, please visit the Coalition Assessment Tool
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HHS/ASPR Project ECHO Clinical Readiness Rounds |
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The HHS/ASPR Project ECHO Clinical Readiness Rounds focus on sharing clinical challenges and successes in preparing for and responding to disasters from all threats. This program is designed to create peer-to-peer learning networks where clinicians who have more experience treating patients in emergency situations share their challenges and successes with clinicians across the U.S. and around the world with less experience in these situations. Topics for sessions are based on new and emergent information around emergency preparedness, as well as topics requested by participants.
Sessions occur every other Tuesday from 12:00 - 1:00 PM ET. The next session is tomorrow, March 5 entitled "Not Boring Data" with Dr. Anne Zink. |
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Did you miss a recent HHS/ASPR Project ECHO Clinical Readiness Rounds session? Recordings of all sessions are available online for access any time on the
iECHO portal. Click the "content" tab on the Clinical Readiness Rounds page to listen or download video recordings.
To watch the most recent Clinical Readiness Rounds session, "The Hallway Conversation: Medical Leadership in Disaster Preparedness and Response by John Hick, MD," select here. |
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Upcoming Trainings and Webinars |
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Event |
Event Details |
National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) |
Integrating Asylum Seekers into Sustainable Community Solutions
Presenters will outline the strategies employed to unite their communities in response to the influx of asylum seekers alongside growing demands for social services. |
Wednesday, March 6
2:00 - 3:30 PM ET
Registration Information |
Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) |
The Quality Improvement (QI) Toolkit: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating PHAB-ulous QI Projects
Join ASTHO for an upcoming webinar focused on the different elements of a new QI Toolkit which includes a step-by-step guide for health department staff to carry out a QI project in compliance with the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB). |
Thursday, March 7
3:30 - 4:30 PM ET
Registration Information |
ASTHO |
Disease Forecasting Learning Series, Disease Forecasting Basics Part 1
ASTHO will hold four, one-hour learning sessions to provide state and territorial public health staff a basic understanding of disease forecasting. |
Thursday, March 14
4:00 - 5:00 PM ET
Connection Information |
National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center (NETEC) |
2024 Joint Commission Standards for Infection Control
Join NETEC for an exploration of the new infection control requirements established by the Joint Commission, the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. |
Friday, March 15
1:00 - 2:00 PM ET
Registration Information |
NACCHO |
Preparedness Summit
The Summit will provide an opportunity for sectors to come together, align missions, and discover better ways to work as true partners to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow. |
March 25 - 28
Cleveland, Ohio
Registration Information |
University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UMTB) Special Pathogens Excellence in Clinical Treatment, Readiness, and Education (SPECTRE) |
Tropical and Emerging Infectious Diseases for Clinicians and Translational Scientists
Join UTMB SPECTRE for a symposium on tropical and emerging infectious diseases for the clinician and translational investigator. The symposium will feature expert-led interactive sessions and tours of UTMB's high-containment Galveston National Lab and Biocontainment Unit. |
April 9 - 12
Galveston, Texas
Registration Information |
Cedars-Sinai Health System |
2024 Cedars-Sinai Special Pathogens Symposium
The intent of the special pathogens symposium is to provide education regarding hospital preparedness for high-consequence infectious diseases to health care professionals in Health and Human Services (HHS) Region IX frontline, assessment and treatment facilities. |
Monday, April 29
Los Angeles, California
Registration Information |
Public Health Law Practitioners |
Empowering Public Health Through Law and Policy
This event will provide professionals from state, local, tribal, and territorial jurisdictions with firsthand knowledge from fellow public health leaders, attorneys, policy professionals, and practitioners on how to positively impact their community’s health and wellbeing. |
April 30 - May 2
New Orleans, Louisiana
Registration Information |
NACCHO |
Health Care Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Summit
The Summit provides participants the opportunity to connect, share valuable insights, and explore innovative approaches between public health, healthcare, and community partner networks to advance the implementation of IPC in healthcare settings. |
May 7 - 9
Chicago, Illinois
Conference Information | |
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ASPR Technical Resources, Assistance Center, and Information Exchange (TRACIE) Resource Spotlight: Patient Decontamination Wash Time Duration Technical Assistance
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This Technical Assistance response includes comments from ASPR TRACIE Subject Matter Expert Cadre members and considerations for patient decontamination wash time duration. |
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Readout of HHS Roundtable on Congressional Syphilis with National Provider Organizations |
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On Wednesday, February 28, 2024, HHS Assistant Secretary for Health ADM Rachel L. Levine and members of the National Syphilis and Congenital Syphilis Syndemic Federal Task Force met with leaders from national provider organizations to discuss efforts to protect the health of our nation’s patients and their babies. This meeting builds upon a series of conversations and engagements to respond to the U.S. syphilis and congenital syphilis epidemic.
Read the full readout of the roundtable from HHS. |
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Biden-Harris Administration Restores Certain Protections for Beneficiaries of Federally Funded Social Services |
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HHS and nine federal agencies are further advancing President Biden’s call for religious freedom and equity for all byfinalizing a rule
that restores important religious liberty protections for beneficiaries of federally funded social services, such as job training and job search assistance, academic enrichment opportunities, and housing services. These protections were rescinded by the previous Administration.
Read the full press release from HHS.
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Releases Interim Considerations for Advanced Readiness and Preparedness for Clade 1 Monkeypox Virus (MPXV) |
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On February 29, CDC released interim considerations for advanced readiness and preparedness for MPXV. This document provides state, tribal, local, and territorial (STLT) health officials with suggestions for improving readiness for managing persons with and mitigating outbreaks of Clade I MPXV within their jurisdictions.
Health officials should use these interim considerations to assess their jurisdiction’s readiness for Clade I MPXV response, identify potential response gaps, coordinate with jurisdictional response partners, and develop strategies for improving readiness, including requesting technical assistance from CDC if needed.
Currently, there is an outbreak of concern of Clade I MPXV in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Clade I MPXV is endemic to Central Africa and has previously been observed to be more transmissible and cause more severe infection than Clade II MPXV. At this time, the risk to the United States remains low, and there are no documented cases of Clade I MPXV within the United States.
For additional information, email eocevent375@cdc.gov. |
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CDC Updates TPOXX for Treatment of Mpox Webpage |
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National Institutes of Health (NIH) Study: New Antibodies Target "Dark Side" of Influenza Virus Protein |
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Researchers at NIH have identified antibodies targeting a hard-to-spot region of the influenza virus, shedding light on the relatively unexplored “dark side” of the neuraminidase (NA) protein head. The antibodies target a region of the NA protein that is common among many influenza viruses, including H3N2 subtype viruses, and could be a new target for countermeasures. The research, led by scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases’ Vaccine Research Center, part of NIH, was published today in Immunity.
Read the full press release from NIH.
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Indian Health Service (IHS) Shares Information on Syphilis Epidemic in Indian Country |
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The IHS chief medical officer recently shared a letter
with tribal leaders and Urban Indian Organization leaders on efforts to address the syphilis epidemic in Indian Country. Recent IHS data indicate syphilis screening in IHS facilities has increased by 98 percent from 2022 to 2023. The letter provides HIS recommendations for syphilis testing, treatment, and prevention, as well as several related resources. |
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Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Launches New Resilience Technical Assistance Initiative |
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Joint Cybersecurity Advisory Recommends Action to Defend Ivanti VPN Gateways from Compromise |
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U.S. and international agencies urged health care and other critical infrastructure organizations using Ivanti Connect Secure VPN and Ivanti Policy Secure to take certain steps to defend against known cyber threats that Ivanti’s Integrity Checker Tool may fail to detect.
Read the full Joint Cybersecurity Advisory. |
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American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): Strategies to Improve Communication on Vaccines |
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The AAP, in a new clinical report offers guidance for pediatricians and others who care for children on the best ways to address vaccine concerns and increase immunization rates. Keeping communities healthy through the use of vaccines also requires improving everyone’s access to health care and increasing diversity and representation among scientists and health care professionals.
Read the full press release from the AAP. |
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Disaster Preparedness Guide for Caregivers |
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As a family caregiver, you are one of 53 million Americans caring for someone older, ill, or disabled. In many cases, you may be the only one attending to the daily needs of an elderly parent, disabled neighbor, or medically complex child. Those in your care depend on you for their safety and well-being—especially during emergencies. In recognition of your unparalleled dedication and commitment to those in your care, FEMA and the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers have created this Disaster Preparedness Guide for Caregivers to help you navigate the unique challenges that may arise when disasters strike.
Read the full Disaster Preparedness Guide for Caregivers. |
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Additional Guidance, Tools, and Reports |
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CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports |
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Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, March 1
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Deaths from Excessive Alcohol Use — United States, 2016–2021
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Progress Toward Rubella and Congenital Rubella Syndrome Elimination — Worldwide, 2012–2022
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Interim Estimates of 2023–24 Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness — United States
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Interim Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Against Laboratory-Confirmed Influenza — California, October 2023–January 2024
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Interim Effectiveness of Updated 2023–2024 (Monovalent XBB.1.5) COVID-19 Vaccines Against COVID-19–Associated Emergency Department and Urgent Care Encounters and Hospitalization Among Immunocompetent Adults Aged ≥18 Years — VISION and IVY Networks, September 2023–January 2024
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QuickStats: Percentage of Children and Adolescents Aged 5–17 Years Who Had Chronic School Absenteeism Due to Illness, Injury, or Disability During the Past 12 Months, by Age Group and Year — National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2019 and 2022
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We Want to Hear from You!
ASPR wants to hear how your organization and/or sub-recipients are making an impact in your communities. We will use your stories to demonstrate the importance of investing in emergency preparedness and response in some of our policy and budgetary documents.
Share your organization's experience in emergency preparedness, response, or recovery by answering a few questions on our Story From the Field Submission Form.
Our team will contact you for more information, as needed, and you may see your story published on the Health Care Readiness in Action: Stories from the Field webpage. Thank you in advance for sharing! |
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Note: ASPR provides the above sources of information for the convenience of the ASPR Health Care Readiness community and is not responsible for the availability or content of the information or tools provided, nor does ASPR endorse, warrant or guarantee the products, services or information described or offered. It is the responsibility of the user to determine the usefulness and applicability of the information provided. |
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