CDC recently posted new guidance for the 2017-2018 (Budget Period 1) versions of the Medical Countermeasure Operational Readiness Review (MCM ORR) and the MCM Action Plan on the On-TRAC portal. To access On-TRAC, click here. The new MCM ORR guidance document provides specific information on how to complete a self-assessment and how to complete a review using the new ORR system. The Action Plan guidance provides additional details on how to complete and submit action plans.

The MCM ORR is a rigorous, evidenced-based assessment that evaluates planning and operational functions of state and local public health preparedness programs to execute a large-scale distribution and dispensing MCMs. CDC Action Plans allow state and local health departments to document activities that designed to address prioritized MCM planning and operational gaps identified during their most recent ORR. All 62 Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) grant recipients, as well as Cities Readiness Initiative (CRI) local planning jurisdictions, are required to participate in an ORR and complete Action Plans.

Time Tracking Volunteers Needed

The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), in coordination with CDC Division of State and Local Readiness (DSLR), are seeking volunteers from state, local, and territorial public health departments who are interested in tracking how long it takes to prepare and complete the newest version of CDC’s 2017 ORR data collection forms. For this volunteer activity, health departments can use a spreadsheet to track how long it takes to complete each ORR form. CDC will use the timing data compiled by health departments to help inform future ORR development efforts. This will not impact scoring of the health department’s ORR assessment.

Interested volunteers who anticipate completing their ORR by Dec. 20 should send the completed spreadsheet to the below representative by Dec. 20:

• State and Territorial Coordinators: Jennifer Lumpkins, ASTHO, ([email protected])
• Local or Tribal Coordinators: Raymond Puerini, NACCHO, ([email protected])

States are encouraged to forward this announcement to local MCM coordinators within their states who will be completing their ORRs before the Dec. 20 deadline. Those who are not completing the ORR by Dec. 20 may still use this tracking spreadsheet for internal planning purposes.