Policy and Partnership Updates Related to Emergency Preparedness and Response

Health centers and the communities they serve continue to be impacted by natural disasters and emergencies. While health centers continue to prepare in accordance to the CMS Rule and respond to these disasters as they occur, there are lessons to be learned about the policies that govern emergency preparedness and response. Partnerships and coordination with other local entities are becoming part of the planning and response process as well. This session will: (a) provide a debrief of relevant policies health centers should be aware of relative to preparedness and response, (b) address partnership approaches, and (c) explore recent health center experiences responding to natural disasters.