Building academic-practice partnerships: the Center for Public Health Preparedness at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, before and after 9/11

Abstract

The Center for Public Health Preparedness at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health is part of a national network of academic centers established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to strengthen links between public health practice and academe, especially for public health workforce development. Since its inception in Fall 2000, the Center has been working in partnership with the New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on planning and competency-based training in emergency preparedness (including bioterrorism and infectious diseases) and evaluation. Initial programs with DOHMH included development of a 3-hour orientation to basic emergency preparedness for their workforce. In the wake of 9/11 and the anthrax events, Center members gave over two dozen presentations at community forums, seminars, and clinical rounds, and over 100 press interviews, provided lay language information through community forum presentations and the School's Web site, and developed a database of volunteers for surge capacity. Subsequent programs include bioterrorism response training for clinicians and emergency medical services personnel, incident command for public health, and a study of evacuation from the World Trade Center on 9/11.