For immediate release:

October 30, 2003

 

Contact:

Mary Kay Hager

Office of Public Information

573-751-6062

 

State Health Department Renews $5.9 Million Contracts with Local Public Health Agencies for Bioterrorism Preparedness

 

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) and 114 local public health agencies throughout the state are renewing their contracts to expand and continue their efforts to protect Missouri’s citizens during a public health emergency or terrorist attack. Over $5.3 million will be provided to 32 local public health agencies to enhance emergency planning and preparedness at the regional level.  This is the second year for the funding; the new contract period began October 1, 2003.  The funding will be used for the regional planners, regional epidemiology specialists and regional public information officers hired by the local public health agencies to provide assistance to all 114 counties. This year’s funding will also provide for equipment, training and education and eight new positions in training, disease investigation and public information. An additional $600,000 will be made available to 82 local public health agencies in December for purchasing equipment and providing staff education and training.

“Our best defense is a coordinated response that incorporates state and local capabilities into one plan, and these contracts are an integral component of our statewide emergency response plan,” said Dick Dunn, director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

The funding was made possible through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Public Health Preparedness and Response for Bioterrorism grant. Forty percent of the department’s CDC grant award, which also includes smallpox preparedness funding, is going directly to the local public health agencies. Additionally, 76 percent of the total federal funding will be used to directly support the local public health agencies, including secure internet connections, planning efforts, and exercises.

   “Missouri will continue to use a majority of its CDC grant funding for strengthening regional systems,” Dunn said. “Missouri is recognized as one of the most successful states in our nation in public health emergency response preparedness, and we accredit that success to working closely with our local public health agencies and other partners and coordinating our efforts at a regional level.”

Each local public health agency is responsible for developing integrated response plans for the designated counties in each of the nine regions, and testing those plans through exercises and drills. Great strides have been made over the past year in developing these emergency plans and building partnerships with community response entities. One year ago one-third of the local public health agencies did not have written emergency plans; today all 114 health departments have emergency plans that address bioterrorism. In addition, agencies are including communications plans and plans for handling mass casualties and working on mutual aid agreements with neighboring local public health agencies and hospitals. Disease investigators are available in each region and provide 24-hours a day, seven days per week coverage for public health emergencies and infectious diseases. A public health team can go on-site to investigate any suspicious illness or disease within an hour of its reporting.

“One of the best accomplishments over the past year was the partnerships that are now established among local public health agencies and their local hospitals, law enforcement, fire departments, emergency medical services, pharmacies, schools, service organizations and private businesses,” Dunn said. “Prior to this endeavor, many agencies completed their emergency planning by themselves with little thought given to the role of other agencies in their plans. Now all the key players are sitting down at the same table and discussing their plans together.”

The DHSS Center for Emergency Response and Terrorism will coordinate the federal grant and the contracts with the local public health agencies. For more information, contact your local public health agency or the DHSS Center for Emergency Response and Terrorism, Jefferson City, at 573-526-4768. 

For emergencies, call 1-800-392-0272 (DHSS emergency and disease reporting number; 24 hours a day, 7 days a week).

 

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Note to editor: A list of the 32 local public health agencies receiving the regional contracts is included. A map indicating the regions is available on the DHSS web site at http://www.dhss.state.mo.us/BT_Response/RegionsColor.pdf.

 

Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services

EMERGENCY RESPONSE/TERRORISM CONTRACTS

WITH LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCIES

October 30, 2003

 

 

Region A (Western Missouri – Kansas City area and surrounding counties):

 

·         Kansas City Health Department, 2400 Troost, Suite 4000, Kansas City, MO 64108

Contact: Rex Archer, M.D., M.P.H., Administrator; 816-840-2548

 

·         Jackson County Health Department, 313 S. Liberty Street, Independence, MO 64050

Contact: Paula Livingston, DDS, MPH-Administrator; 816-404-6415

 

·         Platte County Health Department, 212 Marshall Road, Platte City, MO  64079

Contact: Mary Jo Everhart, RN, BSN, Administrator; 816-858-2412

 

·         Independence City Health Department, 223 N. Memorial Dr., Independence, MO 64050

Contact: Larry D. Jones, MPH, Administrator; 816-325-7182

 

·         Cass County Health Department, 300 S. Main, Harrisonville, MO 64701

Contact: Pat Thomas, Administrator; 816-380-8425

 

·         Clay County Public Health Center, 1940 Highway 152, Liberty, MO 64068

Contact: Jack Carpenter, Administrator; 816-781-1600

 

·         Pettis County Health Center, 911 E. 16th St., Sedalia, MO 65301

Contact: Diana M. Stout, Administrator, Nurse Practitioner; 660-827-1130

                          

Region B (Northeast Missouri):

 

·         Adair County Health Department, 1001 S. Jamison St., Kirksville, MO 63501

Contact: A. Claudine Frazier, RN, Administrator; 660-665-8491

 

·         Marion County Health Department, 3105 Route W, P.O. Box 1378, Hannibal, MO 63401

Contact: Betty Nickell, RN, Administrator; 573-221-1166

 

Region C (Eastern Missouri – St. Louis area and surrounding counties):

 

·         St. Louis City Department of Health and Hospitals, 634 N. Grand,

P.O. Box 14702, St. Louis, MO 63103

Contact: Hugh Stallworth, M.D., M.P.H., Administrator; 314-612-5100

 

·         St. Louis County Department of Health, 111 S. Meramec, Clayton, MO 63105

Contact: Jacquelynn Meeks, Dr. P.H., Administrator; 314-615-1600

 

·         St. Charles County Department of Community Health and the Environment

1650 Boone’s Lick, St. Charles, MO 63301-2245

Contact: Gil Copley, M.A., Administrator; 636-949-7400

 

·         Lincoln County Health Department; 251 W Collier, Troy, MO 63379

Contact: Harriet Zuroweste, RN, Administrator; 636-528-6117

 

·         Jefferson County Health Department, 405 Main St., P.O. Box 437, Hillsboro, MO 63050

Contact: Dennis M. Diehl, Administrator; 636-789-3372

 

·         St. Francois County Health Center, 1025 W. Main, P.O. Box Q, Park Hills, MO 63601

Contact: Diane Williams, RN, Administrator; 573-431-1947

 

·         Franklin County Health Services, 15 South Oak, Union, MO  63084

Contact: Conn Roden, Administrator; 636-583-7300

 

Region D (Southwest Missouri – Springfield/Joplin areas and surrounding counties):

 

·         Springfield/Greene County Public Health Center, 227 E. Chestnut Expressway

Springfield, MO 65802

Contact: Harold Bengsch, MSPH, RHES-Administrator; 417-864-1657

 

·         Joplin City Health Department, 513 Kentucky Ave., Joplin, MO 64801

Contact: Daniel Pekarek, Administrator; 417-623-6122 

 

·         Polk County Health Department, 1317 W. Broadway, P.O. Box 124, Bolivar, MO 65613

Contact: Michelle Morris, Administrator; 417-326-7250

       

·         Taney County Health Department, 15479 U.S. Highway 160, P.O. Box 369

Forsyth, MO 65653

Contact: Jim Berry, Administrator; 417-546-4725                                

 

Region E (Southeast Missouri – Cape Girardeau area and surrounding counties):

 

·         Cape Girardeau County Health Department, 1121 Linden St, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701

Contact: Charlotte Craig, RN, Administrator; 573-335-7846

 

·         Wayne County Health Department, Highway 67, P.O. Box 259, Greenville, MO 63944

Contact: Rae Jean Crutchfield, Administrator; 573-224-3218

                                                                                                                    

·         New Madrid County Health Department, 406 Highway 61, New Madrid, MO 63869

Contact: Michelle Brazel, Administrator; 573-748-5541

 

Region F (Central Missouri – Columbia/Jefferson City areas and surrounding counties):

 

·         Columbia/Boone County Health Department, 600 E. Broadway, P.O. Box 6015

Columbia, MO 65205

Contact: Stephanie Browning, Administrator; 573-874-7346

 

·         Cole County Health Department, 1616 Industrial Dr., Jefferson City, MO 65109

Contact: Ivah Scott, RN, BSN, Administrator; 573-636-2181

 

·         Callaway County Health Department, 4950 County Road 304, Fulton, MO 65251

Contact: Judy Harrison, RN, Administrator; 573-642-6881                  

 

·         Morgan County Health Department, 104 W. Lafayette St., Versailles, MO 65084

Contact: Lorraine Kerksiek, Administrator; 573-378-5438

 

Region G (South-central Missouri – Ozark area counties):

 

·         Texas County Health Department, 402 S. First St., Houston, MO 65483

Contact: Jackie Smith, Administrator; 417-967-4131                           

 

Region H (Northwest Missouri – St. Joseph area and surrounding counties):

 

·         St. Joseph/Buchanan County Heath Department, 904 S. Tenth, St. Joseph, MO 64503

Contact:  Mary Sanders, Administrator; 816-271-4636

 

·         Nodaway County Health Department 515 N. Main, Maryville, MO 64468

Contact: Della Rhoades, Administrator; 660-562-2755

 

·         Clinton County Health Department, 106 Bush St., Plattsburg, MO 64477

Contact: Marcia Murphy, Administrator; 816-539-2144

 

Region I (Central Missouri – Ft. Leonard Wood area and surrounding counties):

 

·         Phelps/Maries County Health Department, 200 N Main St., Suite G51, Rolla, MO 65401

Contact: Josephine Waltman-Interim Administrator, Manager of Community Care Clinic; 573-364-3381

 

 

Note: A map indicating the regions is available on the Department of Health and Senior Services’ web site at http://www.dhss.state.mo.us/BT_Response/RegionsColor.pdf.