News Releases

$1.5M in Emergency Preparedness Funding Helps Ohio Hospitals

The Center for Health Affairs once again was awarded $1.5 million in emergency preparedness funding through the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), the division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services responsible for responding to and preparing for public health emergencies.

Over the course of the funding year, which runs from July 1, 2011, to June 30, 2012, The Center will disperse the ASPR funds to member hospitals located in the Northeast Ohio region. Based on the number of Emergency Department visits, The Center's hospitals will receive between $21,000 and $50,000 to help prepare them for emergencies, including but not limited to, chemical spills, power outages, mass casualties (surge inpatient care), information system failures and terrorist events.

Northeast Ohio is unique in that the majority of federal emergency preparedness funding received through ASPR flow out directly to member hospitals, as opposed to being retained by the state department of health.

Contracts have been sent to member hospital CEOs, while The Center continues to make hospital visits to provide support. Communication, exercises and training will remain a priority throughout the year. As part of the individualized consulting provided to members, The Center will work with each member hospital to prioritize the use of emergency preparedness funding in order to improve each hospital's emergency preparedness and ultimately to ensure the safety of hospital patients, employees and the facility.