NACCHO funded six local health departments (LHDs) for the Pathways for Robust Equity in Preventive Actions and Response Efforts in Healthcare Settings (PREPARE) Project. The PREPARE Project was established to strengthen local health department (LHD) capacity in equitable outbreak prevention and response of healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial resistance (HAI/AR) threats in healthcare settings. 

The aim of the project was for LHDs to pilot and operationalize the NACCHO-developed equity framework for Outbreak Response and Prevention in Healthcare Settings, as well as leverage the LHD Data Utilization and Management for Outbreak Response and Prevention in Healthcare Settings Guide and the Strategic Collaboration for Outbreak Response and Prevention in Healthcare Settings Guide to increase LHD capacity in the following areas:

• Support LHD capacity for an equity-focused approach to outbreak response and prevention in healthcare settings;
• Enhance skills to prevent, respond to, and monitor healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial resistance (HAI/AR);
• Strengthen effective data utilization and management to support outbreak prevention and response within healthcare settings;
• Develop and identify resources, lessons learned, and best practices for other LHDs; and
• Build and sustain strategic collaborations and partnerships.

Participating sites were asked to share their experiences with the project and lessons learned for other local health departments.

Summary of Independence Health and Animal Services’ (IHAS’) Work

The focus of IHAS’ work was the relationships and reporting needs associated with the Long-Term Care Facilities (LTCFs) in Independence. The Independence Health Department went through a transition from 2018 to 2021 and a lot of the relationships with their LTCFs were lost. Through staffing changes at the LTCFs and IHAS, many contacts had changed positions or no longer worked at the organization on both sides. Their subsequent goals were threefold: Improve outbreak data collection processes to be more streamlined for IHAS and LTCFs, strengthen/develop relationships with two LTCFs that previously had more outbreaks, and have a better understanding of LTCF health/equity indicators.

You can view the full story here. 

IHAS Contact

Lauren Campbell, Public Health Manager
[email protected]

For more information on the PREPARE grant, email [email protected].

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