All disasters strike locally, and local health departments are a critical part of any community’s first response to disease outbreaks, emergencies, and acts of terrorism. One of the greatest challenges faced by local health departments during disasters is balancing emergency responsibility with continuing routine delivery of public health services for Connecticut residents.

Project Public Health Ready (PPHR), a partnership program between the Connecticut Department of Public Health, the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), recognizes effective local health department preparedness programs.

 The PPHR criteria are nationally-recognized standards for local public health preparedness. They have been field tested and approved by local health departments.  The criteria are updated regularly to incorporate current research and guidelines from key federal programs, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's public health emergency preparedness capabilities, the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP).

PPHR has three project goals: all-hazards emergency preparedness and response planning, workforce capacity development and quality improvement through exercises and real events. Each of these goals has its own comprehensive list of criteria based on a continuous quality improvement (CQI) model. Local health departments seeking PPHR recognition must demonstrate proficiency in all three goal areas.

National Recognition

In 2013, each of Connecticut’s five Emergency Planning and Preparedness Regions were recognized by the national organization representing local health departments for their ability to respond to public health emergencies. Connecticut was the fourth state in the nation to achieve statewide recognition. 

(See press release for more information).

For more information about Public Health ready, please visit www.naccho.org/PPHR or call the DPH Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response at (860) 509-8282.