Georgia Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program - The Section of Emergency Preparedness and Response, Division of Health Protection, Georgia Department of Public Health is submitting this Project abstract in response to the Health and Human Services/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (HHS/CDC) request for applications for states to apply for the CDC-RFA-TU24-0137. Georgia is one of the largest states east of the Mississippi River, with the 9th largest population in the U.S., estimated at over 10.8 million residents. The state is composed of 159 counties, 10 EMS regions, 18 Public Health Districts, and 14 healthcare coalitions. The health delivery system comprises several components: private providers, hospitals, community health clinics, behavioral healthcare facilities, specialty care hospitals, long-term care facilities, hospices, and public health clinics/sites. Many successful preparedness and response activities in Georgia’s Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Program have focused on enhancing health care and local public health preparedness and capacity. The State’s holistic, all-hazards approach to its preparedness efforts has allowed Georgia to enhance efforts to address the needs of a broader group of healthcare partners and better coordinate the state’s Emergency Support Function 8 (ESF8), assuring health and medical capacities during disasters. The upcoming grant year and Project Period will provide additional opportunities for Georgia to enhance relationships and improve the state’s capability and capacity to meet the PHEP Deliverables established in the Funding Opportunity Announcement, ensuring our state’s highest level of preparedness for events of public health significance. The health districts’ geographic profiles range from densely populated foothills to suburban, suburban-urban mix, very rural, and coastal ocean border. The health district composition ranges from one county to several counties, including two districts with 16 counties. Understanding that the most critical planning and response is local, Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) PHEP will provide the health districts with an anticipated no less than 50% direct Grant-In-Aid funding for their implementation efforts. The remaining 50% will be directed towards statewide support of the districts, such as Public Health Laboratory and Epidemiological/Surveillance efforts; Information Technology support (WebEOC, KNACK Platform, statewide call down system, and more); training and education assistance and guidance accomplished, performed, or coordinated through the subject matter experts employed at the state level. Georgia has provided narratives for our high-level, detailed work plans and budget justification. These documents describe in depth how Georgia will achieve preparedness, comply with all grant deliverables, and ensure expedient, effective management of the taxpayer funding provided through the cooperative agreement.
