Central Shenandoah Health District honored as model for emergency preparedness

The Central Shenandoah Health District has been recognized by the National Association of County and City Health Officials for its ability to plan for, respond to and recover from public health emergencies.

CSHD, one of 35 health districts under the Virginia Department of Health, demonstrated these capabilities by meeting the comprehensive preparedness benchmarks required by Project Public Health Ready, a unique partnership between NACCHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

CSHD joins a cohort of more than 550 local health departments across the country that have been distinguished for excellence in preparedness through PPHR, either individually or as part of a region.

“We are proud to have been recognized by Project Public Health Ready for our high level of preparedness,” said Dr. Elaine Perry, acting health director of Central Shenandoah Health District. “I believe that this honor is exceedingly well-deserved because it reflects tremendous effort, dedication, creativity, and cooperation on the part of our entire team of experts.”

The PPHR recognition confirms that CSHD has a thorough and coordinated emergency response plan in place and that staff have the training to protect the health of the community during an emergency.

Local health departments recognized by PPHR undergo a rigorous evaluation by peer review to assess their ability to meet a set of national standards for public health preparedness. These standards align with federal government requirements and other national best practices.

“Public health preparedness planning, response and recovery begins at the local level. Local health departments play an essential role in creating healthy, resilient communities that can respond to and recover from disasters.” said Lori T. Freeman, chief executive officer. “NACCHO commends Central Shenandoah Health District for being a model of public health emergency preparedness.”

For more information on Project Public Health Ready, including recognized sites, project tools and resources, visit http://www.naccho.org/PPHR.