HHS Region 1 Center for Public Health Preparedness and Response - Background and Significance: The CDC's Office of Readiness and Response (ORR) helps ensure that state, tribal, local and territorial (STLT) public health departments are prepared to respond to health threats. It has been recognized for many years, and especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, that there is an undeniable need for a multi-agency and regional approach that integrates multidisciplinary and multijurisdictional perspectives in public health preparedness and response (PHPR) efforts. ORR’s plan for building a nationwide network of regional centers for PHPR to increase and improve the use of evidenced-based strategies and interventions (EBSIs) is both a promising and innovative solution and a formidable challenge. Purpose: The purpose of this award is to ensure that state, tribal, local and territorial (STLT) public health departments are prepared to respond to health threats in HHS Region 1 by planning, establishing, and implementing a center for public health preparedness and response. The Emergency Preparedness, Research, Evaluation and Practice (EPREP) program of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in partnership with the Center for Disaster Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, proposes to plan and implement an HHS Region 1 Center for Public Health Preparedness and Response (R1-CPHPR) to serve the six New England states and tribes. This project will help build a multi-agency and regional approach that integrates multi-disciplinary and multi-jurisdictional perspectives in public health preparedness and response (PHPR), thereby assisting the CDC Office of Readiness and Response’s plan for building a nationwide network of regional centers to increase and improve the use of evidenced-based strategies and interventions (EBSIs). Program Activities: The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public health and the Center for Disaster Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital supporting will deliver technical assistance consistent with the CDC-RFA-TU-24-0142 NOFO’s Component A strategies and activities for planning, building and launching the R1-CPHPR, and for subsequently implementing and evaluating processes and outcomes associated with CDC’s Component A objectives. Our application also proposes three optional projects to 1) develop a two to three-year regional work plan on deepening equitable access to PHPR-related services and equitable outcomes for underserved communities (Component D, Strategy 6), 2) adopt a “community nodes” approach to improve dissemination of EBSIs and to enhance community-based surge capacity during public health emergencies (Component D, Strategy 7) and 3) implement and pilot test a new “Mini-Guardian Initiative” PHPR data ecosystem model using a “common data model” design and architecture adapted from the FDA’s “Sentinel Initiative” program (Component E, Strategy 11). Methods: For Component A, we will 1) establish a Regional Coordinating Body (RCB), 2) develop a Five-Year Regional Work Plan (RWP) for the FY2025-2030 in collaboration with the RCB that includes priority focus areas and objectives whereby state, tribal, local and territorial (STLT) public health jurisdictions can benefit from PHPR EBSIs, 3) establish a Steering Committee, and 4) launch and a fully operational R1-CPHPR delivering services to meet the RWP objectives during Years 2 to 5. For Component D Strategies 6 and 7 and Component E, Strategy 11, we will collaborate with the regional partners to undertake planning, implementation and developmental and traditional evaluation activities to accomplish the goals cited above. Beneficiaries: The beneficiaries of this project are the state, local and tribal public health agencies, health care facilities and residents of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine, and members of the HHS Region 1 Native American tribal authorities.
