PROJECT PUBLIC HEALTH READY

What is Project Public Health Ready (PPHR)?

Project Public Health Ready (PPHR) is a competency-based training and recognition program that assesses preparedness and assists local health departments, or groups of local health departments working collaboratively as a region, to respond to emergencies.  PPHR is an initiative of the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), and the PPHR criteria (years 2011 and 2012) are the most utilized national standards for local public health preparedness.  These standards are updated annually to incorporate the most recent federal initiatives. 

Each of the three PPHR project goals—all-hazards preparedness planning (i.e., preparing for both natural and man-made disasters), workforce capacity development, and demonstration of readiness through exercises or real events—has a comprehensive list of standards that must be met in order to achieve PPHR recognition.
 

Have Any Sites in Connecticut Achieved PPHR Recognition?

In July 2012, NACCHO recognized Connecticut’s Planning and Preparedness Region 3 as Project Public Health Ready (PPHR) for its ability to respond to public health emergencies.  Region 3 met the comprehensive preparedness benchmarks required to be recognized as PPHR, a unique partnership between NACCHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 2006, the Capitol Region Emergency Planning Committee was previously recognized as meeting all of the PPHR requirements. In July 2013, NACCHO announced that Regions 1, 2, 4 and 5 met those same comprehensive preparedness benchmarks and were also recognized as PPHR.

Local health departments recognized by PPHR undergo a rigorous evaluation by peer review. PPHR required all five regions to meet a set of national standards for public health preparedness in three key areas: preparedness planning; workforce competency; and demonstration of all-hazards readiness through exercises or a response to a real event. PPHR recognition confirms that all Connecticut regions have a thorough and coordinated emergency response plan in place, that agency staff members are trained, and that the agency exercises the plan and uses it during public health emergencies.

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