Bioterrorism and Emergency Preparedness November 16, 2005 Jon Huss Director, Community Preparedness Section

Dept. of State Health Services 12,000 Employees Programs including: Disease Investigation and mitigation WIC Radiation Control and Licensing Health Care Facility Licensing and Inspections Mental Health Food Safety and Food Products Inspection 1600 Funding Sources

DSHS Health Service Regions

Dept. of State Health Services Prevention and Preparedness Division Community Preparedness Section Infectious Disease Treatment Epidemiology Community Preparedness Bioterrorism Response (CDC) Hospital Surge Capacity (HRSA)

Bioterrorism Response CDC  Total FY 2006 allocation = $53,520,440  Approximately 66% to local health departments and DSHS Health Services Regions serving as local health departments

Bioterrorism Response CDC Preparedness Goals Upgrade and integrate state and public health jurisdictions' preparedness and response to all hazards with Federal, State, local and tribal governments, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations Efforts intended to support the National Response Plan, the National Incident Management System (NIMS), and the Texas Homeland Security Strategic Plan

National Bioterrorism Hospital Preparedness Funding (HRSA) Grant YearTotal Funding Award for Texas 2003 $8,328, $35,138, $33,538, $34,045,

Hospital Preparedness Priority areas include:   hospital surge capacity   minimal levels of readiness   sentinel indicators

Hospital Preparedness   Beds   Isolation   Pharmaceutical caches   Decontamination   Trauma and burn care   Health care personnel   Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)   Behavioral (psychosocial) health Emergency System for Advance Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals (ESAR- VHP) Communications and information technology Hospital surge capacity benchmarks include:

Hospital Preparedness Minimal levels of readiness   Hospital planning groups to integrate plans and to meet minimum standards or goals of readiness   Emergency medical services: enhance mutual aid plan to deploy EMS units; ensure capability of providing EMS triage, transportation and patient tracking   24/7 disease surveillance systems   Hospital labs' protocols for rapid assessment and referral

Hospital Preparedness Sentinel indicators   “Progress reports" or measurements (data) relating directly to the critical benchmarks   Example: number of beds capable of surging beyond the current staffed bed capacity   Example: number of personnel adequately supplied with PPE

Pandemic flu Avian flu Border health

State Emergency Management Plan DSHS = lead, primary agency   Annex D, Radiological Emergency Management   Annex H, Health and Medical Services (Mental Health/Special Needs Populations)

Texas Homeland Security Strategic Plan DSHS expects to be in the vanguard of working with the Councils of Government to meet our obligations:   Prevent   Protect   Prepare to Respond and Recover

Texas Homeland Security Strategic Plan DSHS Roles and Responsibilities   Objective 1.1 Active involvement in intelligence gathering by expanding human and animal health surveillance   Objective 1.2 Training to support bioterrorist investigations   Objective 2.1 Supporting assessments of critical infrastructure/ key resources (CI/KR)

Texas Homeland Security Strategic Plan DSHS Roles and Responsibilities   Objective 2.2 Reducing the risk from natural or man-made CBRNE disasters   Objective 2.3 Reduce the vulnerability to man-made and natural threats to the agriculture industry   Objective 2.4 Enhance the safety of schools

Texas Homeland Security Strategic Plan DSHS Roles and Responsibilities   Objective 3.1 Achieve statewide radio interoperability   Objective 3.2 Implement NIMS and ICS   Objective 3.3 Maximize first responder capabilities

Texas Homeland Security Strategic Plan DSHS Roles and Responsibilities   Objective 3.4 Amplify public health community capabilities to support multi-agency and multi-jurisdictional response and recovery efforts   Objective 3.5 Fully integrate homeland security training across all jurisdictions and disciplines   Objective 3.6 Fully integrate homeland security exercises across all jurisdictions and disciplines

Texas Homeland Security Strategic Plan DSHS Roles and Responsibilities   Objective 3.8 Increase citizen participation   Objective 3.9 Maintain effective ways to alert local leaders and the public about all hazards in their communities

Where are we today?   Better prepared than yesterday, but not as prepared as tomorrow   We have established working relationships between groups that had never talked to each other before   We continue to move forward

We must sustain infrastructure We must sustain progress made We must become more efficient, more responsive Practice is required We must better prepare, not only our governments, but also our citizens Looking Forward

DSHS Contacts (512) CDC Grant: Leslie Mansolo HRSA Grant: Beverly Ray

DSHS Contacts (512) Binational Efforts, SNS, CHEMPACK : Francesca Kupper Director: Jon Huss