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Resources by Topic: Emergency preparedness and response

Future Planning for the Public Health Emergency Preparedness Enterprise: Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic: Proceedings of a Workshop
Summarizes discussions held during a May 2022 workshop to explore the nation's public health emergency (PHE) preparedness enterprise. Includes key components, success stories, and failure points, to identify opportunities for effective catastrophic disaster, pandemic, and other large scale PHEs planning at the federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial levels. Mentions disparities between urban and rural or tribal areas throughout.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Disasters and Emergencies
Date: 2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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2022 National Preparedness Report
Summarizes progress made and challenges that remain in building and sustaining capabilities needed to prevent and recover from threats and incidents that pose the greatest risk to the nation. Examines some of the disasters that occurred in 2021 and includes sections on risk areas, capability areas, management opportunities, and the research approach for the report. Mentions rural throughout.
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Federal Emergency Management Agency
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COVID-19 Relief Funds: Lessons Learned Could Improve Future Distribution of Federal Emergency Relief to Tribal Recipients
Examines approaches selected federal agencies used to administer programs that provided COVID-19 funds to tribal recipients. Identifies lessons learned that could improve future federal relief to these recipients.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Evaluation of the Vermont All-Payer Accountable Care Organization Model: Second Evaluation Report
Evaluates the first three performance years of the Vermont All-Payer Accountable Care Organization Model (VTAPM), which aims to assess whether scaling an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) across all payers in the state can reduce program expenditures while preserving or improving care quality. Discusses the implementation of the model, provider engagement, efforts to address population health goals; characteristics of participating hospitals, practitioners, and beneficiaries; and the model's impacts on Medicare spending, utilization, and quality of care. Describes changes to the model's design in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency and how COVID-19 and a cyberattack impacted healthcare utilization. Includes information on hospital and provider participation in rural areas and limited participation by Critical Access Hospitals.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance, Technical Appendices
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, NORC at the University of Chicago
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COVID-19 Response in System-Owned and Independent CAHs
Recording of a November 2022 webinar presenting findings from Critical Access Hospital (CAH) executives regarding experiences and challenges responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Compares the experiences of system-affiliated and independent CAHs.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Author(s): Madeleine Pick
Date: 11/2022
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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State Medicaid Telehealth Policies Before and During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency: 2022 Update
Examines state Medicaid telehealth coverage, policies, and utilization before and after the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). Describes the types of Medicaid services that were allowed to be delivered by telehealth and the types of telehealth modality covered before the PHE, in May 2020, and in January 2022. Outlines the status of state Medicaid telehealth flexibilities based on state executive orders and Medicaid agency guidance. Builds on a July 2021 analysis of state Medicaid telehealth coverage, policies, and utilization before and after the COVID-19 PHE.
Author(s): Jacquelyn Rudich, Ann B. Conmy, Rose C. Chum, et al
Date: 11/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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COVID-19 Working Paper: Migration, Local Mobility, and the Spread of COVID-19 in Rural America
Examines how movement between and within communities was linked to the initial arrival and spread of COVID-19 infections into and through nonmetropolitan counties. Presents data on the level of migration to and from metropolitan counties and the relative change in work-related mobility for nonmetro counties in 2020 by the level of rurality and county economic type.
Author(s): Peter Nelson, John Cromartie
Date: 11/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Tips for Disaster Responders: Understanding Historical Trauma and Resilience When Responding to an Event in Indian Country
Describes historical trauma and its impact on Native American populations, and offers guidance for behavioral health responders when engaged in disaster preparedness and response efforts for tribal communities.
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Through Natural Disaster to Prosperity: Five Principles to Improve Health and Economic Outcomes for Rural Communities and Native Nations
Describes 5 principles related to natural disasters and community resilience, including conditions that affect disaster vulnerability, relationships among rural communities and natural systems, equity in disaster response, local capacity, and responsive funding. Offers rural and tribal case studies and perspectives from rural economic and community development practitioners.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Aspen Institute
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Home Health Agencies Used Multiple Strategies to Respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Although Some Challenges Persist
Presents results of a survey of home health agencies (HHAs) conducted between September through December 2021 to explore the challenges they faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses challenges related to staffing, infection control, the use of telehealth, and the adequacy of emergency preparedness plans, as well as challenges specific to rural HHAs. Provides recommendations for how the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) can help HHAs prepare for and respond to current and future infectious disease outbreaks and changes to the home health care landscape.
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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