rural practiceCenter for Rural Health Practice (CRHP)

Rural Public Health Practice

rural practice
university of pittsburgh center for rural health practice

The University of Pittsburgh Center for Rural Health Practice (CRHP) is the rural coordinating unit of the University of Pittsburgh Center for Public Health Preparedness (UPCPHP), assuring that new training initiatives reflect issues related to rural health preparedness.

Projects

In the Spotlight

Preparedness Center - OSHA Alliance formed Read more

WEBCAST - Mass Evacuation to Rural Communities

9 Nov 2006 - The presenters shared results of a recent survey regarding potential behavioral responses of large populations to disaster events - including terrorist attacks - and discussed key concerns for rural communities to consider as they plan for mass exodus from urban centers. They also shared new efforts underway by the recently funded Advanced Practice Center in western New York.

Rural Preparedness Training Programs

Why Rural Preparedness Training

PubMed - Rural preparedness entries, all dates

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has one of the nation's largest rural populations with estimates of more than 2.8 million rural residents. Forty-eight of Pennsylvania's 67 counties are classified rural, and 18 of the remaining 19 counties have rural municipalities.

Pennsylvania also has the lowest ration of public health workers to population in the nation; 37 per 100,000. These workers are mostly concentrated in urban areas and are largely comprised of the staffs of the state health department and 10 independent health departments.

Given the sparse governmental public health workforce, rural public health response in Pennsylvania must rely on traditional responders including hospitals, voluntary services organizations, EMTs, fire, and police. To assure continuity with the integrated emergency management system, it is critical that all of these responders understand and fulfill the role of public health relative to emergency preparedness.

About the Rural Preparedness Training Program

The UPCPHP and the CRHP provide in-person, county-level training, targeting Pennsylvania's 48 rural counties. County EMA directors are recruited to host trainings and bring together all of their rural responders. Regional occupational safety and health administrative officers, EMA directors, and local Pennsylvania Department of Health staff are invited to present components of the training to assure connectedness to local issues and concerns.

Audience:

Course Length and Continuing Education Certification

This four-to-six hour course is adaptable to each county and designed to address local needs. An optional scenario-style exercise is available for the six-hour class.

A Certificate of Completion is awarded to each program participant. Course completion also fulfills 4 CE credit hours for EMTs and Paramedics.

Textbook

Download ebook (PDF)

All participants also receive copies of the training textbook: Rural Emergency Preparedness. What All Rural Responders Must Know About Public Health Emergencies. A statewide Rural Preparedness Task Force reflecting 20 rural response sectors convened to provide expertise and guidance in the development of the textbook and training. Based on their recommendations, the content includes:

Costs and Location

Trainings are FREE and are held on-site at designated county/regional counter-terrorism task force locations. Travel expenses are the responsibility of the participant and are not included.

Upcoming Trainings

See Courses and Training

Contact

For further information or to schedule a training, contact:

Sherie Wallace
Rural Preparedness Project Coordinator
University of Pittsburgh Center for Rural Health Practice
University of Pittsburgh at Bradford
300 Campus Drive
Bradford, PA 16701
Phone: 814-362-5050
Fax: 814-362-5044
Email: saw46@pitt.edu

Courthouse Preparedness for Public Health Emergencies

In collaboration with the UPCPHP and the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts, CRHP published Courthouse Preparedness for Public Health Emergencies. This document is a planning tool for county courthouse preparedness that provides detailed steps for planning and response that can be carried out by courthouse personnel. It can be accessed by contacting the Center at 814-362-5050, and a PDF version can be downloaded from here or the CRHP Web site. A CD-ROM containing all of the planning templates and supporting materials is also included with the hard copy text.

Courthouse Preparedness Booklet (pdf)

National Rural Preparedness Agenda

Preparing for Public Health Emergencies: Meeting the Challenges in Rural America, an independent report highlighting rural public health preparedness challenges and concerns, was unveiled at a formal press conference in Washington, DC, on March 22, 2005. This report stemmed from the collaboration of five major universities: the University of Pittsburgh, Harvard, Texas A&M, the University of Minnesota, and the University of North Carolina. The report includes strategies and recommendations for addressing the preparedness challenges facing rural America, citing the need to strengthen public health and health care systems. Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) and Congressman John Peterson (R-PA) have served as legislative supporters for this report. Copies of the report can be accessed in PDF format by clicking here.

Other Recent Activities

View map to see where trainings have taken place.