The CDC will conduct a pilot assessment of 62 Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) cooperative agreement awardees using the CDC Medical Countermeasure (MCM) Operational Readiness Review (ORR) tool. This will take place during the BP3 grant year (July 1, 2014 – June 30, 2015). Additionally, at least one Cities Readiness Initiative (CRI) jurisdiction per Metropolitan Statistical Area will complete an MCM ORR assessment. During the BP3 pilot year, the CDC will collect feedback from participating jurisdictions to improve the MCM ORR tool prior to the expanded roll-out to all local CRI jurisdictions in the BP4 (July 1, 2015 – June 30, 2016) grant year.

Local Health Department Tools to Prepare for the ORR
Some health departments undergoing the ORR process this year have created crosswalk tools to help them prepare and complete the ORR. These tools are available in NACCHO’s Toolbox and include:

• The Michigan Department of Community Health has developed a crosswalk tool to assist local health departments in completing their ORR tool. The crosswalk tool links the new sections of the ORR tool to relevant PHEP capabilities and former sections of the Technical Assistance Review (TAR) tool. The crosswalk was designed to help standardize documentation and review practices across local health departments in the state.
• The New York State Department of Health has also created a tool that lists the sections of the ORR and the corresponding guidance all on the same page. Like the Michigan tool, the New York tool also links sections of the new ORR tool to relevant sections of the former TAR tool.

Resources from CDC
Additionally, CDC has developed the following resources for the completion of the ORR tool for jurisdictions undergoing review this year:

1. MCM ORR Tool

The MCM ORR tool is organized into sections according to CDC PHEP capabilities and functions relevant to an MCM response. With respect to each function, jurisdictions will document their level of planning and operational implementation by providing comments and relevant supporting documentation. Unlike previous years, the ORR will be completed electronically on CDC JOIN. A PDF version of the ORR tool is also available for download on CDC JOIN for reference purposes (Note: this PDF may not serve as a substitute for completing the ORR electronically via CDC Join).

2. MCM ORR Guidance Document

The MCM ORR Guidance Document provides clarification on the ORR tool rating scale and provides examples and guidance for what can be used to serve as documentation for each section. The MCM ORR Guidance Document is organized like the ORR Tool according to capability and function.

3. MCM ORR User Manual

The MCM ORR User Manual provides a summary of the steps needed for completion of the pilot-year ORR tool, as well as a detailed walk-through of how to complete the ORR online using CDC JOIN. CDC also held a webinar on August 13, 2014, where representatives provided an overview on the online ORR completion process (Note: this webinar is found under the “Presentations” tab of the MCM Share Point site within CDC JOIN).

4. Jurisdictional Data Sheet

All CRI jurisdictions (even those not undergoing an ORR review this year) must submit a jurisdictional data sheet in the BP3 (2014-2015) grant year. The jurisdictional data sheet is used to capture jurisdiction-specific data about the resources needed to complete a rapid MCM response (i.e. within 48 hours). Information about number of public Points of Dispensing (PODs) needed, number of staff needed for POD functions, and available alternative dispensing modalities (i.e. Closed PODs, drive thru PODs, etc.) will be captured. The Jurisdictional Data Sheet is similar to the “baseline” section of the former TAR tool. Instructions for completing the Jurisdictional Data Sheet can be found on page 19 of the MCM ORR User Manual.

All CDC documents listed above are located within the “MCM Guidance” folder on the MCM Share Point Site within CDC JOIN. For more information about gaining access to CDC JOIN, click here.