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The Community Health Center Association of Connecticut (CHCACT) is implementing a comprehensive
Emergency Management Planning Program through the community health centers across the state, with
the over-arching goal to increase the level of preparedness at every health center through training,
infrastructure enhancement and drills. One representative from each community health center forms
the Community Health Emergency Response Network (CHERN) that meets quarterly. Community Health Center
emergency preparedness training is made available to the CHERN members to increase their knowledge of
emergency management. They take their knowledge back to their centers and integrate it into the ongoing
emergency preparedness activities at their centers. In addition, they serve as the “resident expert” and
point person for the identification of training and technical assistance needs of their center.
CHCACT and its members have been actively involved in Connecticut's emergency preparedness efforts,
including working with government agencies, such as the Department of Public Health and The Connecticut
Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (DEMHS), and other public health providers,
including Connecticut's hospitals. CHCACT and its members play an important role in the ongoing evolution
of the nation's emergency preparedness infrastructure as the nation continues to mobilize against threats
of terrorism, while still maintaining readiness for more traditional emergencies, such as power outages,
floods and hurricanes.
CHCACT contracts with the CT Department of Public Health (DPH) to deliver several Emergency Preparedness
deliverables including the following: conducting one exercise at each member health center, reviewing
all health center Emergency Operations Plans for (NIMS) compliance, working with each health center to
define its surge capacity for medical and behavioral health, and assessing the feasibility of establishing
mutual aid agreements between each health center and local pharmacies.
For additional information please contact the program director Wanda Sullivan.
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