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  October 2013
In this issue
State-by-State Report on Pediatric Disaster Readiness
Together We're Ready - Massachusetts Prepared
October Do1Thing - Power
Workplace Violence Tools
Abstract Deadline Extended
Did you know... featuring the Great Shakeout, Recovery Webinar Series announcement, and About Relief Organizations
Training & Education Opportunities
Calendar Highlights
State-by-State Report on Pediatric Disaster Readiness
SavetheChildren.org
- Oct 3, 2013. Save the Children released a state-by-state report on care of pediatric disaster readiness. This is an important document that showed that "Gaps in preparedness put children at risk before disaster strikes."  A Presidential Commission on Children and Disasters included four state standards and safety in schools and child care facilities. The standards include:

  Evacuation/Relocation Plan

  Family-Child Reunification Plan

  Children with Special Needs Plan

  K-12 Multi-disaster Plans  

Massachusetts and 21 other states meet all these standards. Visit the Report to learn more. 
MAReady

MDPH - Oct 1, 2013. September was National Preparedness Month, and what a success! The League partnered with MDPH Emergency Preparedness Bureau's statewide campaign encouraging Massachusetts residents, families and communities to make plans and prepare for severe weather, natural disasters or other emergency events. The theme "Together We're Ready - Massachusetts Prepared" included a specific focus for each week:
   Week 1: Get Ready - Individual and Family Preparedness
   Week 2: Get Involved - Join the Response
   Week 3: We're All in this Together - Considerations for Individuals with Access and Functional Needs
   Week 4: Get Vaccinated - Fight the Flu - featuring our own Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center in Worcester!

 

Each week featured a 3-minute video program touching on specific preparedness topic. Additionally, the program included a 30-minute panel discussion with leading health and preparedness officials and include segments on each of the four campaign themes. What did your health center do for NPM? We'd love to know!   

Do1Thing
October Fact Sheet: Power
Do1thing.com - Oct 1, 2013. We count on electricity for heat, food, and medical needs. Many gas appliances even need electricity to run. A power outage is an emergency that often follows another emergency-like a hurricane, tornado, or winter storm. That makes it even more important to be prepared in advance.
Goal:  Be able to safely meet your basic needs during an electrical outage. Choose at least one, and complete it.
Workplace Violence Tools
MLCHC - Oct 1, 2013. Violence is becoming increasingly common in healthcare facilities, in fact more than 50 percent of all reported workplace assaults happen in hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare settings. As part of the 2013 Voice of Experience Conference: the Impact of Violence on Health Care Settings, a workgroup was tasked with developing a "toolkit" for hospitals and healthcare organizations based on current best practices including an educational video. The video/DVD "Armed! Are You Ready?" provides multiple options to educate and train your organizations emergency codes, procedures and response plans. The toolkit and video are available for FREE download on the conference website.

Another online resource is the "Run, Hide, Fight" video. Created by the Houston Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security in 2012, the video focuses on a simple message designed to save lives, much like "duck and cover" and "stop, drop and roll" phrases. Although intense and sometimes difficult to watch, the video offers strategies and empowers survival.
Abstract Deadline Extended
PrepTips - Oct 1, 2013. The National Association of Community Health Centers is pleased to announce that it has joined a distinguished group of partners on the Preparedness Summit Planning Committee. This year's Summit will take place April 1-4, 2014 in Atlanta, Georgia. The theme is "Stronger Together: Aligning Public Health and Healthcare Preparedness Capabilities to Protect Our Communities." Health centers and Primary Care Associations are strongly encouraged to submit an abstract to highlight the strong and proud history of meeting the needs of their communities, before, during, and after emergencies. Abstracts are being accepted through October 11. Visit www.preparednesssummit.org to learn more.
Did you know...
... that the Great ShakeOut is scheduled for Oct 17 at 10:17am - "Drop, Cover, Hold On"
... there is a FREE webinar series on Disaster Preparedness and Economic Recovery - click to register to participate!

... that there are two amazing relief organizations that want to work with your health center? Both programs are FREE for community health centers: 

  • AmeriCares is a nonprofit global health and disaster relief organization that delivers medicines, medical supplies and aid to people in need around the world and across the United States. Here in the US, we support 500 healthcare safety net institutions that serve the poor and uninsured. AmeriCares is approved to distribute medicines in all 50 states and delivered nearly $26 million in domestic aid last year alone. The AmeriCares US Medical Assistance Program provides safety-net partners with free medicines, vaccines, medical supplies and hygiene donations for the organization's low-income, uninsured and underinsured patients. Click here to learn more.   
  • Direct Relief is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that provides medical assistance to people around the world who have been affected by poverty, natural disasters, and civil unrest. They currently provide support to more than 1,100 nonprofit community clinics and health centers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. This network is the nation's healthcare "safety net" that supports more than 10,000 clinical sites that provide comprehensive, culturally sensitive health services to more than 20 million people, regardless of their ability to pay. Through partnerships with leading pharmaceutical and medical manufacturers, Direct Relief strengthens community clinics and health centers throughout the United States in three ways: Safety Net Support, Replenishment Program, and Emergency Prep and Response. Click the links to learn more. 

Not mutually exclusive, if your health center is already a member of one program, there is nothing that prevents you from being a member of the other. Want to know more about AmeriCares and Direct Relief programs? Contact Tina Wright ([email protected]) for more information. 

Training & Education Opportunities
Incident Command System - multiple offerings:
  • NIMS-700 / ICS-100 - Oct 10, Boston, MA  
  • ICS 300 - Oct 28, Wareham, MA
  • ICS 300 - Nov 15, Holyoke, MA
  • ICS 300 - Nov 18, Framingham, MA 
Advanced Disaster Life Support (ADLS) - Oct 16-17, Worcester, MA

Weapons of Mass Destruction Standardized Awareness Course (AWR 160) - Oct 22, Amherst, MA

Risk Communications In Practice - Oct 22, Worcester, MA

Applying the Incident Command System to Your Healthcare Emergency Response - Oct 30, location tba in Northeastern MA

APHA Annual Meeting - Nov 2-6, Registration and housing is open for the 2013 APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition in Boston. The early-bird registration discount ends on Aug. 22.

Incident Management for Health Care Leadership - Nov 12, Worcester, MA

Hazmat Awareness (HAZ01) - Nov 19, Norton, MA; and Jan 14, Worcester, MA (note, different registrations)

All Hazards Disaster Response and Protection for Healthcare Workers - Awareness Modules I & II - multiple offerings: 

  • Nov 20-22, Boston, MA 
  • Dec 16, Boston, MA  

National Healthcare Coalition Preparedness Conference - Dec 10-12, New Orleans, LA. This conference focuses on the Healthcare Preparedness Program (HPP) and Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) guidelines and aims to develop, refine and sustain healthcare coalitions.  

** Features a League, CHCANYS and NACHC poster session   

 

Online courses are also available at http://delvalle.bphc.org/.  

Calendar Highlights
Oct 10 - Boston Healthcare Preparedness Coalition Meeting, Boston, MA
Oct 17
- Governmental Affairs Committee
Oct 17 - Medical Directors Leadership Program
Oct 18 - Assn for Behavioral Healthcare Salute to Excellence, Waltham, MA
Oct 18  - Region 4AB (Greater Boston) Hospital/Healthcare Preparedness Committee Meeting, Newton, MA
Oct 19
- Greater Lawrence FHC's IN PINK Benefit Buffet Brunch & Fashion Show, Lawrence, MA
Oct 21-22 - League Fall Membership Retreat, Boston, MA
Oct 22 - Ounce of Prevention Conference, Marlboro, MA
Oct 24 -  Brockton NHC's Gala Dinner, Brockton, MA
Oct 25 - Region 5 (Southeastern MA) Hospital/Healthcare Preparedness Committee Meeting
Oct 25 - Boston CHC Emergency Planning & Preparedness Meeting, Boston, MA
Oct 26
- Fenway CHC's Audre Lorde Cancer Awareness Brunch, Boston, MA
Oct 28-30 - NACHC S/RPCA Conference, San Diego, CA
Oct 31 - IMPACT Program - Senior Leadership Training Day 1, Boston, MA
Nov 1 - HPV/Cervical Cancer Summit
Nov 2 - Dimock CHC's Steppin Out event, Boston, MA
Nov 2 - Dorchester House MSC's Masquer-Aid event, Boston, MA
Nov 7 - Lynn CHC's Wisdom to Wellness Dinner, Lynn, MA
Nov 12-14 - NACHC Financial, Operational Management & IT (FOM/IT) Conference, Las Vegas, NV
Nov 14 - Living Well with Diabetes Cape Cod Event
Nov 16 - Living Well with Diabetes Boston Event
Nov 19 - League Annual Clinical Conference

For more details and other health center events, visit http://www.massleague.org/Calendar/Calendar.php.  

Quick Links...

Our Website

Emergency Preparedness and Management webpage

About the League

Upcoming Events

If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you.

 

Tina Wright, Emergency Management Program Manager and Public Information Coordinator
Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers
40 Court Street, 10th Floor, Boston, MA 02108
617-426-2225 ext. 231,
[email protected]