About the Preparedness Grants

• The federal government provides funding to the states to increase preparedness infrastructure in public health and healthcare.  Identified components of a prepared public health infrastructure should include a skilled public health workforce, robust information and data systems, and effective health departments and laboratories.
• Funding is provided to state and local entities through the format of Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) and Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) – grant funding dollars.  Money was first dispersed to local public health agencies in August 2002.  This is separate from funding received by Iowa HLSEM. There have also been additional funding provided for pandemic influenza planning and H1N1 response.
• Since the initial allocation of preparedness funding to locals, Iowa has been divided into six preparedness regions.  Each in the state region has Public Health and Healthcare Regional Steering Committees that consist of representation from the local public health agency, area hospitals, Emergency Management, environmental health, EMS, and community health clinics.
• Regional and local preparedness activities are based on the general categories of the PHEP/HPP grant. These categories are:
• Preparedness Planning- including Strategic National Stockpile and Pandemic Preparedness
• Education and Exercise
• Epidemiology/ Surveillance
• IT Communications
• Risk Communications/Special Needs Populations

Iowa’s Region 2

18 Partnering Counties: » Allamakee Fayette Kossuth Bremer Floyd Mitchell Butler Franklin Winnebago Cerro Gordo Hancock Winneshiek Chickasaw Howard Worth Emmet Humboldt Wright

Region 2 Emergency Preparedness consists of the preparedness partners in the 18 counties in north central and northeast Iowa.

Local Public Health and Hospital Activities:

• Each local public health agency has been given funds to assist in preparedness planning, and they work with local emergency management and other partners on all-hazards disaster preparedness activities, including pandemic preparedness.
• Local public health agencies work with local Board of Health and Board of Supervisors.  Boards of Health and Boards of Supervisors are worked into the county plan where appropriate, and are expected to keep abreast of the county plan and participate in decisions about use of funds. They are also expected to participate on planning committees and in local exercises.
• Each item in the Preparedness workplan is actually a  contract requirement.
• Dollars are tied to completion of the workplan, quarterly progress reports, and exercise requirements.
• There are a variety of regional activities in which local public health agencies are to participate. Regional funds reimburse local agencies for some participation based upon decisions of Regional Steering Committee. Regional performance measures are dependant upon participation of local public health agencies. Regional dollars can also reimburse for approved training/conference attendance and state workgroup participation as appropriate.