Health centers and Primary Care Associations (PCAs) play a crucial role in maintaining continuity of care during and after emergencies, whether they are natural, man-made, or public health crises.
According to the CMS Emergency Preparedness Requirements for Medicare and Medicaid Participating Providers and Suppliers Final Rule, health centers must develop and maintain an emergency preparedness communication plan and conduct annual training and testing programs. They must also coordinate with state and local health departments for emergency management planning, preparedness, mitigation, and response efforts.
PCAs facilitate the sharing of critical information through electronic alerts, increase awareness and participation in regional and state emergency planning, and gather and report health center operational status during emergencies. They engage with health centers to collect essential information and ensure their inclusion in regional and state response plans, reporting operational status and impacts to HRSA/HHS.
Emergency Information Kit – Key Resources for Health Centers is a document designed to provide HRSA – supported health centers, look-alikes (LAL), and PCAs with information and resources during a declared dynamic event or other emergency situations.
VCHA Emergency Preparedness Requirements for FQHCs Presentation discusses the requirements and regulations that FQHCs must comply with during emergencies. Information includes adopting an Emergency Plan, Policy Procedures, Communications Plan, Training and Testing, and Integrated Health Systems.
VCHA Emergency Preparedness Recorded Training Series
CMS/HRSA Emergency Preparedness Resources
HIPAA Security Risk Assessment
CMS Emergency Preparedness Final Rule Reference Guide by TRACIE combines excerpts from the Final Rule and Interpretive Guidelines from CMS to provide a consolidated overview document.
CMS Updated Emergency Preparedness Guidance (Released March 26, 2021)
FAQs Emergency Preparedness Regulations
Emergency Preparedness Acronym Glossary
Emergency Grant Opportunities – Commonwealth of Virginia
American Red Cross Emergency Severe Weather App – Apple Store and Google Play
The Association’s statewide Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) helps community health centers (CHCs) during emergencies or disasters by organizing and managing resources. Local first responders, public health districts, and hospitals are the first to respond, but they may need additional support. EMAC allows CHCs to request help from other centers.
This compact helps Association members exchange supplies and equipment efficiently during disasters. It involves Association members and staff, and follows federal requirements, which can be complex but necessary. Staffing and volunteers for affected areas are included in the EMAC, following the “Health Center Program Compliance Manual” (August 2018), especially Chapters 5 and 21, and Appendix A.
A framework is provided by the EMAC to facilitate requests for assistance, resolve issues, reimburse costs, and maintain federal compliance. It supplements existing local agreements without negatively affecting them.
Using EMAC ensures rapid activation and response of resources, creating a statewide network of healthcare systems that support each other in emergencies.
EMAC Resources
The Department of Homeland Security and the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has developed a series of materials to assist business, schools, and communities in preparing for and responding to an active shooter incident. Issues covered in the resources include: 1. How to profile an active shooter, 2. Responding to an active shooter or other workplace violence situation, 3. Training for an active shooter situation and creating an emergency action plan, and 4. Tips for recognizing signs of potential workplace violence.
Active Shooter Emergency Action Plan (EAP)
The Active Shooter Recovery Guide and the Recovering from an Active Shooter Incident Fact Sheet assist in the proactive implementation of policies and procedures that best position organizations to most effectively recover from an active shooter incident, while providing the best support structure for their employees, contractors, visitors, patrons, family members, and the community at large.
Active Shooter Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities Action Guide illustrates ways to recognize warning signs for at-risk individuals and emphasizes the importance of seeking help and connecting with local law enforcement to prevent a future attack.
Translated Active Shooter Preparedness Products and Resources
Active Shooter: What You Can Do Training Course (CEUs 0.1)
Additional Active Shooter Printable Resources
Hurricanes are severe tropical storms, massive storm systems, that form over the open water in the southern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
Each year, many coastal communities experience threats from hurricanes including heavy rains, strong winds, rip currents, floods, and coastal storm surges from tropical storms and hurricanes. A hurricane may spawn tornadoes. Torrential rains cause further damage by causing floods and landslides, which not only threaten coastal communities but may impact communities many miles inland.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, with the peak occurring between mid-August and late October.
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale
Virginia’s Hurricane Evacuation and Inland Guides includes information about how to prepare for hurricanes before, during, and after from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. The Hurricane Evacuation Guide is available in multiple languages.
Tornadoes are violently rotating columns of air that extend from a thunderstorm to the ground. Tornadoes can destroy buildings, flip cars, and create deadly flying debris. A tornado can happen anytime and anywhere, bring intense winds, over 200 miles per hour, and look like funnels.
Winter Storms create a higher risk of car accidents, hypothermia, frostbite, carbon monoxide poisoning, and heart attacks from overexertion. Winter storms including blizzards can bring extreme cold, freezing rain, snow, ice and high winds. These storms can last a few hours to several days, cut off heat, power, and communication services, and put older adults, children, sick individuals and pets at greater risk.
Flooding is a temporary overflow of water onto land that is normally dry. Floods are the most common disaster in the United States. Failing to evacuate flooded areas or entering flood waters can lead to injury or death. Floods may result from rain, snow, coastal storm surges and overflows of dams. They will either develop slowly or quickly. Flash floods can come with no warning. Floods can also cause outages, disrupt transportation, damage buildings and create landslides.
Extreme Heat is a period of high heat and humidity with temperatures above 90 degrees for at least two to three days. In extreme heat your body works extra hard to maintain a normal temperature, which can lead to death. Extreme heat is responsible for the highest number of annual deaths among all weather-related hazards.
There are different assistance programs for individual citizens versus public groups like government agencies and private nonprofit organizations. Find the help you need to support your disaster recovery.
A pandemic is a disease outbreak that spans several countries and affects a large number of people. Pandemics are most often caused by viruses which can easily spread from person to person.
A new virus can emerge from anywhere and quickly spread around the world. It is hard to predict when or where the next new pandemic will emerge.
If a Pandemic is declared:
Cybersecurity involves preventing, detecting and responding to cyberattacks that can have wide-ranging effects on individuals, organizations, the community and the nation.
Cyberattacks are malicious attempts to access or damage a computer or network system and can lead to the loss of money or the theft of personal, financial and medical information. These attacks can damage your reputation and safety.
Cyberattacks can occur in many ways including: