The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR), Bureau for Public Health is one of six states selected to participate in the National Governors Association (NGA) workshop to further strengthen public health emergency preparedness and response efforts.
The workshop will be held May 1-2, 2018, and will allow West Virginia to develop a strategic action plan that implements evidenced based practices for public health emergencies. The state team will have access to national experts and receive ongoing technical assistance from the NGA.
“Public health emergency response requires both a multisector and collaborative approach by state, federal and volunteer organizations,” said Dr. Rahul Gupta, State Health Officer and Commissioner of DHHR’s Bureau for Public Health. “Our Center for Threat Preparedness has the tremendous responsibility during times of disaster in our state to ensure the state’s health and medical needs are met, which helps save lives. By participating in the workshop, the state will be better positioned for an even more robust response.”
In addition to West Virginia, the other five states selected to participate in the NGA workshop include Arizona, Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey and Oregon.
This selection is an opportunity for governors, legislators, and other state officials in the six states to gain greater awareness about policy solutions that will help mitigate the consequences of public health emergencies.