Center for Public Health Preparedness

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The University of Pittsburgh Center for Public Health Preparedness (UPCPHP) UPCPHP was founded in 2002 and is one of 27 preparedness centers funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at accredited schools of public health. UPCPHP links academic and practical expertise to state and local health agency needs, and trains professionals and students in public health, medical, and related organizations to respond to bioterrorism, infectious disease outbreaks, and other public health threats and emergencies. UPCPHP received more than $1.2 million dollars in 2006 from federal and state agencies to help prepare Pennsylvania. The three major themes that inform UPCPHP’s activities include a focus on broad and successful collaboration, a dedication to in-depth teaching and instruction which provides life-long skills to the recipient, and a commitment to continual evaluation of programs to maximize their reach and effect.

Outreach Office

One of the most exciting new developments for 2007 has been its “Outreach Office”, which includes a Speakers Bureau, a monthly electronic newsletter, improved integration of products into the Pennsylvania Learning Management System (LMS) which reaches 50,000 (as of 2007) medical, public health, and first responder professionals, and an integrated website which provides up-to-date information on our 7 major project areas.

Within the Outreach Office, the Speakers Bureau has provided public health expertise at 8 events to 496 people in just the first 6 months of 2007. An additional 201 learners completed LMS courses created by UPCPHP, with the most popular being Public Health Preparedness: Legal Perspectives; Preparedness: The “Public Health Ready” Way; and “Emergency Preparedness at School and Home”. In addition, the e-newsletter has tripled its number of subscribers in its first 6 months and continues to grow; click here for current and past issues.

School Nursing Training

UPCPHP's training activities have expanded geographically throughout the state. As of 2007, UPCPHP trained over 25% of all [school nurse | school nurses] in Pennsylvania, with an overall goal of reaching 75% by the end of the 2009 project year. These efforts have led to expanded partnerships with school administrators, school systems, {intermediate unit | intermediate units], and state agencies.

Rural Preparedness Training

Rural preparedness is an issue of critical importance for Pennsylvania. 48 of 67 counties are considered “rural”, and none of these has a locally governed health department. The detailed half-day training provided by UPCPHP, in conjunction with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), meets a substantially unmet need and has received extremely high marks from participants.

Pennsylvania Public Health Law Bench Book

Following eighteen months of research, writing and editing, the Bench Book, created by the UPCPHP's Law program faculty and the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts, was introduced to the Pennsylvania Judiciary on February 28, 2007. This guide, only the 4th in the nation (as of 2007) and the first developed by any CDC-funded preparedness center, provides the judiciary with quick access to critical information regarding key areas of public health law such as isolation, quarantine, mandated examination and treatment, and property searches and closures for public health purposes. 250 Judges were provided training relative to the development, format, content, and use of the Bench Book. Following that training, copies of the Bench Book were sent to every President Judge serving the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, every District Court Administrator, all Appellate Court judges and each Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.