Recorded presentation

Christa-Marie Singleton, MD MPH, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response, Baltimore City Health Department, 210 Guilford Avenue, Third Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202, 443-992-8363, christa.singleton@baltimorecity.gov, Ruth A. Vogel, RN CPH, Commissioner's Office, Baltimore City Health Department, 210 Guilford Avenue, 3rd Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202, Diane Matuszak, MD MPH, Director, Community Health Administration, Maryland Department of Mental Health and Hygiene, 201 W. Preston Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, and Peter L. Beilenson, MD, MPH, Baltimore City Department of Health, 210 Guilford Ave., 3rd Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202.

Recognizing that the public health role is unique as it relates to homeland security and emergency response, the Baltimore City Health Department’s (BCHD’s) Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response (OPHPR), implemented an educational initiative that focuses on improving partnering law enforcement’s understanding of public health’s roles and responsibilities. This foundational initiative has proven to be essential for the necessary integration of public health into existing homeland security efforts. Historically, efforts to improve and incorporate public health into homeland security efforts have been largely based upon a crisis response mentality following September 11th. Our experience in the Baltimore Metropolitan Region has illustrated two salient needs; 1) improving the knowledge base of our partners as to what is public health and 2) ensuring public health’s representation at homeland security and emergency preparedness planning activities. Ensuring these needs are addressed, as well as recognizing that optimal planning and response is contingent upon tactics that incorporate a collage of plans, ideas, agencies and resources, provides for a more cohesive approach that can be adapted to a variety of homeland security and anti-terrorism efforts. OPHPR’s educational initiative utilizes the infrastructure of public health agencies and explains how a variety of programs and services essentially define a community. Since public health’s discipline is founded and based on prevention-based initiatives using epidemiology, risk assessments and surveillance, as well as cross-training partners such as law enforcement personnel, this approach has proven effective in defining our role within a complex infrastructure.

Learning Objectives:

• 1. Participants will realize existing misperceptions of public health programs roles and responsibilities among partnering agencies and institutions
• 2. Participants will identify key areas of need for training and education
• 3. Participants will be provided tools that can be modified and adapted to their respective departments for integration into the emergency planning process

Keywords: Bioterrorism, Communicable Disease

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation