Sunday, May 5, 2024
5/5/2024
The Tennessee Department of Health’s (TDH) application for CDC Emerging Infections Program (EIP) funding is built on a strong foundation. TDH has more than 20 years of success as a network member and leader. TDH is mandated explicitly by state law to conduct reportable disease surveillance facilitating all Tennessee Emerging Infections Program (TEIP) activities. TEIP operates as an ongoing and long-standing partnership between TDH and Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) covering all major activities. TEIP goals for this application are to participate fully, meeting all EIP requirements, in the following EIP network activities: Infrastructure and Data Modernization, Surveillance and Reporting 1 and 2, Influenza (FluSurv-NET), RESP-NET activities including Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV-NET) and COVID-19 (COVID-NET), Active Bacterial Core surveillance (ABCs), Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet), Healthcare-Associated Infections – Community Interface (HAIC), HPV-IMPACT, and Mpox Vaccine Effectiveness Evaluation. TEIP is not applying for the Lyme and Other Tickborne Diseases (TickNET), Prion Disease, or Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and ME/CFS like Post-COVID Conditions (PCC) activities. TEIP has a total surveillance catchment of 6,859,497. Tennessee is a geographically and demographically diverse state, contributing to the racial, ethnic, age and socioeconomic diversity of the overall EIP population. Statewide surveillance is conducted for FoodNet activities. The population catchment for other current and proposed TEIP activities is described in detail in each activity section of this application. TEIP staff have and will collaborate to conduct active population-based infectious disease surveillance, applied public health epidemiologic and laboratory activities, implementation and evaluation of pilot prevention and intervention projects, and rapid, flexible response to public health emergencies and emerging infections. TEIP activities are led by PI Dr. John Dunn, DVM, PhD, EMBA. Dr. Dunn is the TDH State Epidemiologist and directs the Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness division. Dr. Mary-Margaret Fill, MD, MPH participates in TDH EIP activities and is the Deputy State Epidemiologist. Drs. Dunn and Fill supervise all TEIP activities based at TDH. TDH maintains a contractual relationship to support all VUMC-based TEIP activities. Co-PI, Dr. Keipp Talbot, MD leads all VUMC EIP activities along with Dr. Tiffanie Markus. Dr. Talbot is a Professor of Medicine and Health Policy and is an internist and infectious disease specialist. Her research on immunization spans the age spectrum from pediatric to adults, with a special focus on immunization issues in older adults. Dr. Talbot currently serves as a voting member of CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Notably, past Co-PI, Dr. Bill Schaffner, remains fully engaged in TEIP activities. TEIP has a strong and committed team. TEIP has broad support from TDH and VUMC leadership, synergistic funding and staffing, established relationships and participation with Tennessee hospitals and laboratories, and expert collaborators and partners throughout the state and wider EIP network. TEIP has an outstanding record of publication, training and education, and collaboration with CDC. With ongoing funding, we will fully support all EIP activities and meet deliverables. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the enormous value of EIP but also exposed weaknesses in infrastructure and public health response capabilities. TEIP is committed to working across programs to modernize data collection and exchange. TEIP is fully committed to providing maximal populations under surveillance that support representativeness while covering at-risk populations to address critical public health questions being addressed by the CDC EIP network.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
