1. A Strategy for Success Creating a regional approach to epidemiological practice & response Emily LlinásKaye Reynolds Kirstin Short

2. Greater Houston UASI Health & Medical Committee Comprised of representatives from health care, public health, EMS & emergency management Promotes intra-jurisdictional, intra-disciplinary planning, training & exercising Developed and maintain health & medical portions of the Regional UASI Strategy Prioritizes funding proposals

3. Houston UASI Strategy Health & Medical Components Expanded Mass Prophylaxis Capacity Expanded Medical Surge Capacity Enhanced Epidemiological Surveillance and investigation capacity

4. Enhancing epidemiological response capacity Establishes a Regional Epidemiology Plan Increases RODs participation by hospitals and LHDs Provides training to epi and non- epi staff Includes epi components in regional exercises

5. UASI Strategy: Meeting the Goal Regional UASI Strategy Regional Epidemiology Response Plan Communication & Collaboration Project RODS Sustainability Project

6. Expands Real-time Outbreak Disease Surveillance System (RODS) to hospitals and public health departments Housed by the City of Houston Department of Health & Human Services Funded by the UASI grant and local funding

7. Regional Communication & Collaboration Project Seeks secure communication between regional LRN lab and local health departments Managed at the City of Houston laboratory UASI Funding enhanced Cyberlab’s capabilities Two-way information flow starts in 2012

8. Regional Epidemiological Response Plan Establishes regional approach to surveillance & investigation Developed by Regional Committee with contractor support in 2011 Funded by the Regional Catastrophic Planning Grant (Ft. Bend County served as fiscal agent) Plan released in 2012