Sunday, September 15, 2024
9/15/2024
Project Abstract In the event of a public health emergency of significant proportions, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), local and tribal health departments (L/THDs), and health care coalitions (HCCs) would immediately establish an incident command structure. Response activities will focus on control, management, mitigation, or reduction of the threat of illness, injury, or death to the population of Minnesota. This would be a coordinated state-local response that is built on experience using the incident command system (ICS), coordinating, and opening, operating, and demobilizing department operations centers (DOCs). Health equity in all response activities will be integrated into the response structure from the beginning. In the first 120 days, the focus will be standing up an initial incident management team (IMT), key operational groups, and establishing sub awardee contracts for L/THDs. The Minnesota Public Health Laboratory (PHL) will demonstrate competency on new methods for testing samples, coordinated communications methods and messages will be verified, target community communication channels verified, and ICS training provided for staff in Branches, Groups and Units. Key plans will be updated and shared with responders and, as able, tabletop or functional exercises will be conducted. A Behavioral Health Unit would be activated to prepare to support MDH, L/THDs, and HCCs mental health during and after the response. Following this initial period, the IMT will continue response coordination through the DOC. Local and tribal health departments (L/THDs) response activities may include ICS activation and coordinating activities with local partners and the regional HCC. Public information to the public and communities of focus and education to partners, medical providers, EMS, and other key stakeholders will be a shared responsibility of MDH and L/THDs. To assure information is accessible to affected populations, MDH and L/THDs will develop plain language materials for multiple mediums at the appropriate literacy level in the languages of the affected populations. To assure samples are submitted correctly, PHL will provide training and guidance to sentinel labs on correct collection and shipping methods. Existing courier services would be expanded to manage a surge in transporting samples, as well as emergency transports. Biosafety plans would be updated, and risk assessments conducted to determine staff safety needs during testing. MDH’s infectious disease programs will work to detect cases early and implement strategies to manage and control the infectious disease outbreak. This will include updating electronic disease reporting systems, e.g., REDCap or MEDSS, developing and disseminating guidance, monitoring persons exposed or ill, and tracing contacts. LHDs provide essential services to people in isolation and quarantine. MDH will provide protective guidance for health care workers and EMS providers. They will also engage with federal, state, and local partners to coordinate community mitigation efforts. MDH has relationships with the EVD Collaborative and the Region V Treatment Center at MHealth Fairview Medical Center, to evaluate travelers with symptoms, monitor healthcare workers, and other suspect cases. L/THDs will activate volunteers to help staff testing sites, points of dispensing (PODs), and mass vaccination clinics. Just-in-time training will be delivered. Plans exist for decontamination and waste disposal. If there are significant numbers of fatalities, the DMERT volunteers will be activated to provide assistance in providing respectful care.
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).
