SPH receives $12.4 million for emergency preparedness initiatives

An actor receives makeup for her role as a victim in "Disaster 101," an emergency preparedness and response simulation developed by SPH experts.

The University of Minnesota School of Public Health is the recipient of two multi-million dollar preparedness grants that will position the school to conduct and translate preparedness research into training opportunities for the workforce. The work will be carried out under the University of Minnesota Simulations, Exercises, and Effective Education (U-SEEE) project.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently awarded nearly $5 million to the SPH to establish a Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Center, which develops preparedness and response competency-based training. The center will support best practices and participate in a national network of preparedness and emergency response learning centers.

What sets the Minnesota center apart is its connection to research. The learning center will work in tandem with the SPH’s Preparedness and Emergency Response Research Center, which was funded at $7.4 million by the CDC in 2008. The aim is to conduct research on which preparedness training strategies work best.

For the last two years, the research center has investigated the way public health organizations conduct preparedness and emergency response education. The findings will help establish a model of best practices in preparedness training.

SPH 1 of only 5 schools to receive both grants

“The SPH is one of only five schools nationally that received grants from the CDC for both types of centers—learning and research—and the only one conducting research on teaching and learning strategies,” says Debra Olson, SPH associate dean for education and lead investigator for the projects.

“This means that the SPH is positioned to be a national leader to ensure that the public health workforce is better prepared to respond to emergencies and that funding for preparedness training is used in the most effective way,” says Olson.

A bomb explodes and responders rush to the scene to help injured victims. Watch “Disaster 101″ in action. www.sph.umn.edu/disaster101