Wednesday, August 10, 2022
8/10/2022
Louisiana recognizes the importance of emergency preparedness planning for the health of its residents. Public health threats specifically in Louisiana include major flooding, chemical plant explosions, and emerging infectious diseases such as Hepatitis A, Zika and even Ebola. These threats, as well as others, have shown the significance and need for efficient public health preparedness planning on all levels. Through strong partnerships designed to leverage the state’s limited resources, Louisiana plans to continue its preparedness efforts by either building or sustaining functionality in all 15 Public Health Preparedness Capabilities. Louisiana will collaborate with the Hospital Preparedness Program and the Health Care Coalitions (HCC) to meet joint planning requirements. Additionally, the state will maintain collaboration with the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness as well as local parish Offices of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness to conduct Jurisdictional Risk Assessments. The purpose of Louisiana’s 2019-2024 application is to address the public health preparedness gaps gathered from several resources identified by subject matter experts and key stakeholders. In order to determine gaps and future activities, the state reviewed and consulted with the following sources: 2018 Jurisdictional Risk Assessment, 2019 Strategic Planning Meeting, CDC Capability Planning Guides, National Health Security Preparedness Index, and real-life/exercise After-Action Reports (AAR). Evaluation methods have been identified for all program strategies and the associated activities for each. Progress in all of these activities will be reported through both process evaluation and outcome evaluation on an ongoing basis throughout the project period. By the end of the project period, the state of Louisiana plans to achieve the following outcomes: • Increased ability to support medical countermeasure distribution and dispensing; • Increased ability to timely identify and investigate an incident with public health impact; • Increased implementation of intervention and control measures; • Increased ability to timely communicate situational awareness and risk information; • Increased continuity of emergency operations management throughout the surge of an emergency or incident; • Increased ability to timely coordinate and support response activities with partners; • Increased learning and improvements opportunities to support public health emergency response.
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).
