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Putnam County Partners Awarded $187,000 in Grant Funding
The Putnam County Department of Health, The Putnam County Bureau of Emergency Services, Putnam Hospital Center, Hudson Valley Cerebral Palsy Association, Putnam County Sheriff's Department and New York Medical College partnered in a submission of a grant proposal to the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) for the development of an Alternate Care Site (ACS) in Putnam County. An ACS will be utilized in a major health emergency such as an influenza pandemic. The announcement was made by the NYSDOH on February 15, 2008 that the Putnam County partnership was one of four recipients of grant funding in New York State.
The Hudson Valley Cerebral Palsy Association's (HVCPA) new facility on Mount Ebo Road was identified as a location for at least one Alternate Care Site in the county. Depending on the type and nature of the event, parts or all of the facility may be used. Identification of other sites in the county are also being explored.
Recently, the partnership members and other community leaders toured the Mt. Ebo site to begin planning for the initiative. Outstanding among these community leaders were County Executive Robert Bondi and Senator Vincent Leibell who have actively supported disaster planning efforts in Putnam County. In January of 2007, Senator Leibell was named Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security, and Military Affairs.
The partnership has begun meeting to develop plans and protocols that will be necessary for the implementation of an ACS . Awardees are charged with devising alternate care models that are flexible enough to respond to the unpredictability of a pandemic and can adapt to changing needs or events. Proposed levels of care/strategies under consideration for the ACS are: ·A primary triage site with the capability for rapid patient screening and admission of patients to the ACS or diversion to either the home or hospital setting. ·A special needs medical shelter for the care of special needs populations during a Mass Casualty Event (MCE). These special needs populations will be diverted to the ACS during an MCE in order to free the anticipated need for acute care beds in the hospital and emergency department. ·The delivery of palliative care in order to appropriately utilize acute care beds in the hospital setting.
Planning partners will continue to meet regularly to coordinate planning initiatives. New York Medical College Center for Disaster Medicine staff will assist in developing detailed protocols and other planning documents required by the grant. Once completed, the alternate care site models will be made available for replication statewide.
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