Homeland Security and Emergency Management administers the Assistant Secretary (DHHS) for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) National Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) Grant to New Hampshire. The mission of this grant is "to ready hospitals and supporting health care systems to deliver coordinated and effective care to victims of terrorism and other public health emergencies." We achieve the mission by working with all 26 acute care hospitals and the various specialty hospitals in the State with the assistance of the New Hampshire Hospital Association (www.nhha.org). In the fiscal year 2007-2008 the grant amount is $2,167,000 dollars.

The Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) enhances the ability of hospitals and health care systems to prepare for and respond to bioterrorism and other public health emergencies. Current program priority areas include interoperable communication systems, bed tracking, personnel management, fatality management planning and hospital evacuation planning. During the past five years HPP funds have also improved bed and personnel surge capacity, decontamination capabilities, isolation capacity, pharmaceutical supplies, training, education, drills and exercises.

Hospitals, outpatient facilities, health centers, poison control centers, EMS and other healthcare partners work with the appropriate state or local health department to acquire funding and develop healthcare system preparedness through this program. Funding is distributed directly to the Health Department of the State or political subdivision of a State (cities and counties are considered political subdivisions of States).

The HPP supports priorities established by the National Preparedness Goal established by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in 2005. The Goal guides entities at all levels of government in the development and maintenance of capabilities to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from major events, including Incidents of National Significance. Additionally, the Goal will assist entities at all levels of government in the development and maintenance of the capabilities to identify, prioritize and protect critical infrastructure

The Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness Act of 2006 transferred the National Bioterrorism Hospital Preparedness Program (NBHPP) from the Health Resources and Services Administration to the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR). The focus of the program is now all-hazards preparedness and not solely bioterrorism.

Authorizing Legislation

The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-417) amended section 319C-2 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act authorizing the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award competitive grants or cooperative agreements to eligible entities to enable such entities to improve surge capacity and enhance community and hospital preparedness for public health emergencies.

Program Priorities

Required Funding Capabilities

The following capabilities MUST be prioritized and funded during the FY 2007 budget period by all award recipients:

1. Interoperable Communications System
2. Bed Tracking System
3. Emergency System for the Advance Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals (ESAR-VHP)
4. Fatality Management Plans
5. Hospital Evacuation Plans

Optional Funding Capabilities

The following program capabilities have been funding priorities in previous years. If funding permits, the following capabilities may be prioritized after the required funding capabilities, mentioned above, during the FY 2007 budget cycle:

1. Alternate Care Sites (ACS)
2. Mobile Medical Assets
3. Pharmaceutical Caches
4. Personal Protective Equipment

Overarching Requirements

The following components must be incorporated into the development and maintenance of ALL capabilities that are funded by the States and jurisdictions:

1. National Incident Management System (NIMS)
2. Education and Preparedness Training
3. Exercises, Evaluations and Corrective Actions

Another emphasis in the grant, as with many of the federal preparedness grants, is capabilities based planning.

Capabilities-based planning is defined as, "planning, under uncertainty, to provide capabilities suitable for a wide range of threats and hazards while working within an economic framework that necessitates prioritization and choice." This planning approach assists leaders at all levels to allocate resources systematically to close capability gaps, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of preparedness efforts. Capabilities-based planning will provide a means for the Nation to achieve the Goal and National Priorities by answering three fundamental questions: "How prepared do we need to be?", "How prepared are we?", and "How do we prioritize efforts to close the gap?"

We report to ASPR in the middle of the year and at the end of the year on our program progress. This information is not widely available in order to protect sensitive information about capabilities falling into the wrong hands.

For more information contact:

Curtis Metzger
NH Hospital Bioterrorism Coordinator
Homeland Security and Emergency Management
(603) 271-2231
curtis.metger@hsem.nh.gov