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NY Indian Nation SNS
MOU
The Tuscarora Nation and the Niagara County (New York) Department of Health have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the purpose of permitting a Nation health facility to be used as a point of distribution of Strategic National Stockpile assets in the event of a public health emergency. The MOU is modeled on a Generic Memorandum of Understanding Between Indian Nations and County Departments of Health developed by the New York Department of Health. Several additional Indian Nations and county health departments are considering entry into comparable SNS distribution MOUs.
To access the document, click here.
CDC and the Indian Health Service Issue Tribal SNS Resource Guide
A resource guide for American Indian and Alaska Native Government
leaders, Preparing Tribal Nations to Receive Strategic National
Stockpile Assets, has been issued by CDC and the Indian Health Service.
The brochure suggests that AI/AN governments should work with state
and local partners and the IHS to plan for requesting, receiving,
and dispensing SNS assets during a public health emergency. In working
with other governments, it is further suggested that tribal leaders
designate a tribal liaison to speak with authority on public health
emergency issues, and to coordinate tribal plans with those of other
government entities. Mutual aid agreements are listed as important
tools for accomplishing exchange of resources and information between
governments to prevent or respond to public health emergencies.
To access the document, please click
here.
Arizona and Sonora Collaborate in
Developing a Secure Electronic System to Exchange Information Concerning
Binational Public Health Threats
Acknowledging their "history of trust and collaboration" and "historic
bonds in public health", the Director of the Arizona Department
of Health Services and the Sonora Secretary of Public Health, witnessed
by the states' Governors, recently signed a "Declaration of Cooperation".
The states have agreed to collaborate in establishing "a secure
electronic system for the exchange of information concerning binational
public health threats, including infectious diseases, along the
Arizona-Sonora border." The "SIREN" information exchange platform
recently created by Arizona will serve as a foundation for development
of protocols, provision of training relating to operation of the
exchange system, and coordination of information exchange. To view
the Declaration, please click
here.
States Collaborate With Tribes in
Public Health Preparedness Activities
The CDC Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) Cooperative
Agreements with certain states include provisions relating to state-tribal
collaboration in meeting public health preparedness goals. One state
is setting aside funds to support a tribal preparedness coordinator,
an emergency medical planner, and a half-time program manager. Funds
for tribal planning and training materials and travel are also being
provided. Tribal access to these funds will facilitate coordination
of preparedness plans and processes between the Native healthcare
system, the State, and federal partners. Similarly, another state
is providing funding to support tribal preparedness activities,
including employment of a tribal public health preparedness coordinator.
In turn, tribes agree to develop preparedness plans and participate
in quarterly meetings and monthly conference calls, consider execution
of mutual aid agreements with local jurisdictions, ensure that tribal
preparedness personnel and volunteers support public health response
functions and are compliant with NIMS requirements, and encourage
tribal participation in preparedness exercises. For detailed descriptions
of the provisions, click
here.
Agreement of Understanding between
the States of Chihuahua and New Mexico
The States of Chihuahua and New Mexico recently executed an "Agreement
of Understanding to Improve and Uphold Public Health Conditions"
in the binational border region. Among the purposes intended to
be served by the legally non-binding agreement are development of
a public health improvement strategic plan, expanded health data
sharing capabilities, enhanced joint preparedness and response capacity,
and creation of procedures and protocols to improve the provision
of health care services in the binational region. Each State makes
a series of commitments in the Agreement. Chihuahua, for example,
commits to providing the clinical and laboratory space and personnel
necessary to improve the management of binational tuberculosis cases,
including specimen transfer to the New Mexico Department of Health.
Conversely, New Mexico agrees to provide materials and training
relating to management of binational cases of tuberculosis, and
to receive and process specimens transferred from across the border.
To view the Agreement, please click
here.
California, Nevada, and Oregon Agree to Procedures for Sharing CHEMPACK
Assets
Consistent with CDC guidelines, which state that CHEMPACK assets
may be used for mutual aid, California, Nevada, and Oregon recently
agreed to procedures for sharing such assets. CHEMPACK is a component
of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) Program, and its assets
are comprised of antidotes and supporting equipment necessary to
care for individuals exposed to nerve agents. The document signed
by the states prescribes the processes for submitting and facilitating
mutual aid requests. It also outlines the circumstances under which
mutual aid can be requested, including provision of CHEMPACK coverage
to cross-border communities, asset pre-positioning to cover large
events in a border state, cooperation with cross-border exercises,
and temporary storage of assets if an emergency poses a threat to
such assets. To view the document, please click
here.
GLBHI Public Health Data Sharing Agreement
The States of Michigan, Minnesota, New York, and Wisconsin, and
the Province of Ontario, the original members of the Great Lakes
Border Health Initiative (GLBHI), fully executed a public health
data sharing agreement on October 18, 2007. [Please click
here to view the Agreement]. The Agreement is an important component
of GLBHI's Early Warning Infectious Disease Surveillance (EWIDS)
system, funded by the Department of Health and Human Services. Ohio,
Pennsylvania, and Indiana recently joined GLBHI. Prior to signing
the Agreement, those additional states will undertake the legal
analysis earlier performed by the original members to ensure that
private health information will be fully protected by confidentiality
laws when shared across jurisdictional boundaries.
Another adjacent state has expressed interest in joining GLBHI.
Work is also underway to develop comparable data sharing agreements
between New England states and counterpart provinces, Pacific Northwest
states and provinces, and between the ten states comprising the
Mid America Alliance.
Mutual Aid Agreement Between New England States and Canadian Provinces
Receives Congressional Approval
On December 17th, the House of Representatives passed House Joint
Resolution 59, a companion to Senate Joint Resolution 13, which
had earlier been passed by the Senate. The Joint Resolutions provide
Congressional approval of the International Emergency Management
Assistance Memorandum of Understanding (IEMAMOU), a mutual aid agreement
executed in 2000 by the States of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts,
New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont, and the Provinces of Labrador,
New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island,
and Quebec. The agreement allows the states and provinces to efficiently
share personnel, supplies, equipment, or other resources during
emergencies by providing request and response procedures and establishing
the rules for determining liability, compensation, and reimbursement.
IEMAMOU is modeled on the Emergency Management Assistance Compact
(EMAC), which permits similar sharing of resources among U.S. states.
EMAC was approved by Congress in 1996, and has been adopted in all
states.To access a copy of House Joint Resolution 59, click
here.
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