| Biden-Harris Administration Deploys Additional National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) Responders and Resources to Hawaii |
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“In coordination with local and state officials, the Biden-Harris Administration continues to deploy highly trained personnel to support victim recovery and identification services on the ground in Maui,” said Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Dawn O’Connell. “President Biden and ASPR are committed to doing all we can to assist the people of Hawaii and bring closure to those who lost loved ones in the fire.”
Early in the response, ASPR deployed an assessment team to work with state and local health authorities and ASPR regional emergency coordinators (RECs) to determine what federal public health and medical resources may need to be deployed to aid the state in responding to the wildfires. Soon after, ASPR’s NDMS deployed a Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team (DMORT), a Victim Identification Center Team (VIC
), and other health emergency response personnel. DMORT personnel will support the Maui County Coroner’s Office. VIC personnel will support the family assistance site at the Maui Community Center.
Read the full press release from ASPR. ASPR has also compiled additional resources specific to the Hawaii Wildfire response on their website.
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| This Week: All-Hazards Hospital Essential Elements of Information (EEI) Listening Sessions in August |
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ASPR, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) are co-hosting multiple phased listening sessions this week to seek input from partners on all-hazards hospital EEI. This effort will gather information to provide recommendations for a standardized lens into the readiness of, stress on, and resources available in hospitals before, during, and after emergencies. Importantly, this is a nationwide effort for which partner input across the health care readiness community is essential. Phase 1 of the listening sessions will occur throughout this week and will focus on understanding existing efforts.
A general listening session was held today, August 21, with partner-specific listening sessions throughout the week. Please see the registration links below and register for the most relevant session. We look forward to your input!
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Audience |
Date/Time |
Registration |
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Jurisdictions* |
August 22,
12:00 - 1:00 PM ET |
Register for the Jurisdiction Session |
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Hospital Associations* |
August 23,
1:00 - 2:00 PM ET |
Register for the Hospital Association Session |
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Hospitals* |
August 24,
12:00 - 1:00 PM ET |
Register for the Hospital Session |
Health Care Coalitions, Medical
Operations Coordination Centers,
Transfer Centers, and Emergency
Medical Services* |
August 24,
2:00 - 3:00 PM ET |
Register for the Health Care Coalitions,
Medical Operations Coordination
Centers, Transfer Centers, and
Emergency Medical Service Session | *Note: Registration is capped at 500 participants. We will be monitoring the registration and opening up additional times as needed |
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| Upcoming Recipient Meetings |
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Meeting Name |
Recipient Group |
Event Details |
ASPR Health Care Readiness
Cooperative Agreements
All-Recipient Webinar |
All Cooperative
Agreement Recipients |
Wednesday, August 30
2:00 - 3:00 PM ET
Registration Information |
PERFORMS Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 HPP Performance Module
Training (Option 2) |
HPP Cooperative
Agreement Recipients |
Thursday, September 14
2:00 - 3:00 PM ET
Connection Information
is Forthcoming | Note: ASPR will update this table in each issue of the Bulletin as additional meetings are scheduled. Recordings and transcripts from previous webinars can be accessed on the ASPR Health Care Readiness Programs Webinars
webpage. |
Hospital Preparedness Program Cooperative Agreement Recipients |
| HPP Recipient End of Year (EOY) Data Collection Update for FY 2022 Reporting |
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Data collection for FY 2022 of the HPP Cooperative Agreement started Thursday, August 3, 2023. The PERFORMS module will remain open for data submission until Saturday, September 30, 2023. All recipients should have received a personalized Performance Measure 4 (organization membership details) Excel document. The Excel form should be reviewed, updated, and submitted by Friday, September 22, 2023, approximately a week before the end of data collection.
If you have any questions, please contact the Science Healthcare Preparedness and Evaluation Research (SHARPER) mailbox with your Field Project Officer (FPO) copied. | |
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| Now Available: Recording for July 26 HPP-Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program (PHEP) Joint Business Meeting |
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| HPP recipients can review the recording
from the July 26 HPP-PHEP Joint Business Meeting. During the three-hour joint meeting, CDC and ASPR provided programmatic updates, discussed development of new HPP and PHEP funding opportunity announcements for fiscal years 2024-2028, and gathered recommendations on joint preparedness and response strategies for the next five-year performance period. |
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Hospital Association COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Activities Cooperative Agreement Recipients |
| Hospital Association Recipient and Sub-Recipient EOY Data Collection Update |
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As a reminder, ASPR kicked off data collection for Year Three of the Hospital Association COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Activities Cooperative Agreement on Monday, July 17, 2023. The data collection period will run until Friday, September 15, 2023. Each recipient should have received an email containing recipient and sub-recipient data collection forms, alongside detailed instructions on how to submit performance measures data. If you have any questions or did not receive the aforementioned email, please contact the
Hospital Association Cooperative Agreement Mailbox with your FPO copied. |
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| COVID-19 Clinical Rounds: A Peer-to-Peer Virtual Community of Practice |
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COVID-19 Clinical Rounds are resource webinars intended for consultant physicians involved in critical care practice, fellows, residents, pharmacists, nursing staff, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, respiratory therapists, and allied health staff. All previous recordings can be found on the HHS ASPR Project ECHO COVID-19 Clinical Rounds website. |
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| First Responder Resiliency TeleECHO Program |
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The First Responder Resiliency TeleECHO Program is aimed at increasing self-care and resiliency in crisis. This interdisciplinary team, led by a group of subject matter experts including Dr. George Everly, an internationally acknowledged disaster psychologist, and Dr. Jeff Katzman, a leading expert in trauma and resiliency, has expertise in a variety of specialties including: critical incidence trauma care, psychiatry, emergency and pre-hospital medicine, law enforcement mental health, and pastoral care. These sessions are held every other Monday from 4:00 - 5:00 PM ET. |
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Upcoming Trainings and Webinars |
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Host |
Event |
Event Details |
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Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) |
Artificial Intelligence (AI) in State and Territorial Public Health
Join ASTHO informatics and innovation leaders for an introduction to AI and its potential applications in state and territorial public health. Speakers will answer your most pressing questions. |
Tuesday, August 22
2:00 - 3:00 PM ET
Registration Information |
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National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC) |
"Mental Health, Self-Care, and Burnout at Free and Charitable Clinics" - Restoring the Healthcare Workforce for Equity
The program aims to help health care workers and advocates achieve greater support and resources as communities hardest hit by COVID-19 continue to navigate recovery. Funding for the program is provided by the Center for Disaster Philanthropy COVID-19 Response Fund, which provides support for nonprofit organizations working directly to respond to the pandemic among vulnerable populations to help build their capacity and address the most pressing needs. |
Wednesday, August 23
2:00 - 3:00 PM ET
Connection Information |
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HHS National Biodefense Science Board (NBSB) |
NBSB Public Meeting
NBSB members will discuss lessons learned from COVID-19 and present recommendations on additional topics, including collection, analysis, and sharing of operational health data; uses of virtual health care during disaster responses; and disaster response challenges specific to rural and underserved communities. There will also be a discussion of recommendations related to priorities for future medical countermeasure attributes as requested by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). Drafts of the recommendations for public review will be on the NBSB webpage as soon as they are available. |
Monday, August 28
2:00 - 3:00 PM ET
Connection Information |
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CDC |
PHEP Connects: Public Health Preparedness at Port of Entry and the Communicable Disease Response Plan
During this PHEP Connects webinar, presenters from CDC’s Quarantine and Border Health Services Branch in the Division of Global Migration and Quarantine will provide an overview of how public health communities work together to prevent the spread of disease at points of entry. |
Wednesday, September 13
1:00 PM ET
Connection Information |
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National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) |
Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
World Expo
The EMS World Expo returns for its 35th year with a continued focus on achieving patient outcomes through better education. |
September 18 - September 22
Registration Information | |
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| ASPR TRACIE Resource Spotlight: Health Care Facility Onboarding Checklist |
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| During a pandemic or other emergency, health care facilities face significant challenges to quickly onboard additional health care providers when hospital admissions and intensive care unit occupancy increase rapidly. This onboarding checklist
can ensure new employees are compliant with administrative requirements, familiar with the mission and culture of the hospital, and understand expectations. |
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| National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center (NETEC) - Japanese Partnership a Model for International Collaboration on Special Pathogen Preparedness and Response |
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| A NETEC initiative to partner with global high-level isolation units took another step toward advancing U.S. and global special pathogens preparedness when delegates from NETEC traveled to Japan in June.
During a two-day meeting held at the National Center for Global Health and Medicine (NCGM) in Tokyo, delegates from NETEC met with Japanese colleagues from NCGM’s Disease Control and Prevention Center. This visit marks the continued strengthening of NETEC’s relationship with its Japanese counterparts over the past year.
Read the full article from NETEC. |
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| Biden-Harris Administration Launches SchoolSafety.gov Awareness Campaign to Support Schools with Safety Resources |
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“We must do everything we can to keep our schools and kids safe. SchoolSafety.gov is a tremendous resource that education and community members can use to support safe positive environments for all students and educators,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “We are honored to partner with the Departments of Education, Justice, and Homeland Security to raise awareness of this terrific resource.”
Read the full press release from HHS.
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| CMS Announces Resources and Flexibilities to Assist with the Public Health Emergency in Hawaii Due to Wild Fires |
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CMS stands ready to assist with resources and waivers to ensure hospitals and other facilities can continue to operate and provide access to care to those impacted by the consequences of the wildfire. CMS is working closely with Hawaii to put these flexibilities in place to ensure those affected by these wildfires have access to the care they need – when they need it most.
Read the full press release from CMS.
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| Register now for the National Healthcare Coalition Preparedness Conference (NHCPC), November 28-30 in Las Vegas |
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Registration for the NHCPC is now open! The Conference will take place from November 28 to 30 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Professionals in emergency management, health care coalitions, volunteer organizations and all levels of government (federal, state, and local) will benefit from advancing their individual and collective skill sets by participating in over 40 sessions of content, sharing best practices, building partnerships, and interacting with the latest technology and industry thought leaders in the Exhibit Hall.
Register for the NHCPC - the early bird discount is available until September 30.
You can also preview the conference agenda online. |
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| NETEC: Warp Speed Research, Experience During COVID and Mpox Responses |
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| On the latest episode of the Transmission Interrupted podcast, members of NETEC’s Special Pathogen Research Network are featured to discuss their experiences as research personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic and Mpox outbreak. Join us as the team explores the challenges, triumphs, and lessons learned from implementing research protocols at warp speed in time-sensitive and high-pressure environments.
Listen to the full podcast episode from NETEC. |
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| American Hospital Association (AHA): Working Towards Health Equity in the Rural Space |
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| In the latest episode of the AHA's Advancing Health podcast, two rural health system leaders share how they're working to reach underserved communities and achieve full equity in health.
Listen to the full podcast episode from AHA. |
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| National Institutes of Health (NIH) Establishes Maternal Health Research Centers of Excellence |
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| CDC Recommends New Tool to Protect Infants from Leading Cause of Hospitalization |
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CDC is recommending a new immunization starting this fall to help protect all infants under eight months of age and some older babies at increased risk of severe illness caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
. RSV is one of the most common causes of childhood respiratory illness and results in annual outbreaks of respiratory illnesses in all age groups. Each year, an estimated 100 to 300 children younger than five years of age die due to RSV.
CDC recommends one dose of Nirsevimab, which was approved last month by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), for all infants younger than eight months, born during – or entering – their first RSV season. This is typically fall through spring. For a small group of children between the ages of eight months and 19 months who are at increased risk of severe RSV disease, such as children who are severely immunocompromised, a dose is recommended in their second season.
For more information, visit CDC’s RSV in Infants and Young Children webpage. Read the full press release at CDC Recommends a Powerful New Tool to Protect Infants from the Leading Cause of Hospitalization. |
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| American Medical Association (AMA): Improving Telemedicine and Patient Access to Care |
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Removing barriers to telehealth for patients and physicians can help broaden access to care and help this technology reach its full potential. AMA Board of Trustee Member Alexander Ding, MD, MS, MBA, joins the latest episode of the AMA Update Podcast to discuss the efforts the AMA is taking and where the future of telemedicine is headed.
Listen to the full podcast episode from the AMA.
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| Just Released: FY 2022 NETEC Annual Report |
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NETEC has recently released their annual report for FY 2022 highlighting their work for the year and providing an assessment of the nation's special pathogen readiness in 2022.
Read the full report from NETEC. |
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| National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) Medical Reserve Corps Highlight: Partnering with Local Organizations to Host Volunteer Recruitment Fair |
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Established in 2018, the Brown County Medical Reserve Corps serves a very rural county in central Texas. Shortly after launching, the unit’s volunteers became active in COVID-19 response, assisting with drive-through and walk-up clinics. It’s activities now include community service events and education around mosquito and general preparedness. At a Cinco de Mayo celebration earlier this year, volunteers also hosted a cooling station.
Read the full profile from NACCHO.
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| Ebola Vaccine for Children Becomes 81st U.S. FDA-Approval of BARDA-Supported Medical Countermeasure |
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BARDA reached its 81st regulatory approval, licensure, or clearance with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decision to expand the indication of Merck’s ERVEBO, a Zaire ebolavirus
vaccine to prevent Ebolavirus disease (EVD) in pediatric patients aged 12 months and older.
Read the full press release from BARDA.
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| CDC Provides Resources for Wildfire Smoke Exposure |
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CDC is working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and state officials in Hawaii to support the response to the recent wildfires on the island of Maui. Federal teams, resources, and equipment are supporting state and local partners.
CDC recommends that public health and health care professionals in areas affected by wildfire smoke be on the alert for possible adverse effects of smoke exposure
, particularly among individuals at higher risk of severe outcomes. The acute signs and symptoms of smoke exposure can include headache, eye and mucous membrane irritation, dyspnea (trouble breathing), cough, wheezing, chest pain, palpitations, and fatigue. Wildfire smoke exposure may exacerbate respiratory, metabolic, and cardiovascular chronic conditions like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and congestive heart failure.
Dry conditions in much of the United States increase the potential for wildfires in or near wilderness areas.
Following are CDC wildfire resources that jurisdictions might find useful.
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| 2024 Preparedness Summit Abstacts Due September 15 |
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The abstract submission
period is now open for the 2024 Preparedness Summit that will be held on March 25-28 in Cleveland, Ohio. The deadline for submission is Friday, September 15. The 2024 theme, “Public Health, Healthcare, and Emergency Management: Aligning to Address Cascading Challenges,” will provide an opportunity to revisit pressing issues in preparedness and share resources, shape policies, and build skills to mitigate a variety of threats.
This year’s planning committee invites public health, health care, disaster relief, emergency management, and other professionals nationwide to showcase and share their research findings, best practice training models, tools, or other resources that advance the field of public health and health care preparedness and response.
More information about the event is available on the 2024 Preparedness Summit website. |
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| CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) |
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| CDC Mpox Guidance and Resources |
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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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