Kentucky has achieved 10 out of 10 possible indicators of preparedness to respond to public health emergencies, according to “Ready or Not? Protecting the Public’s Health from Disease, Disasters and Bioterrorism,” a new report issued December 18 from the Trust for America's Health (TFAH). Kentucky is one of only seven states with a top score in this national assessment. Read the full report on the TFAH website.

The TFAH report contains scores for all 50 states and the District of Columbia based on 10 key indicators to assess health emergency preparedness capabilities. States received one point for each indicator they achieved. These indicators include having plans to distribute emergency vaccines and medical supplies, having sufficient capabilities to test for biological threats, and maintaining or increasing funding levels for public health services.

In the event of a large-scale public health emergency, the need for surge capacity of health and medical systems would be critical. The Kentucky Department for Public Health has designed the Kentucky Health Emergency Listing of Professionals (KHELPS) program to complement existing local Medical Reserve Corps programs. The K HELPS system will verify credentials of the volunteer and notify the local health department to complete the approval process. It will be the responsibility of the local MRC unit to provide an orientation, offer training, and issue an identification badge for the volunteer. The K HELPS system has the ability to alert volunteers by either email, telephone call, or both. Local MRC units will also have administrative rights to alert and activate volunteers when needed.

Click here for more information on the KHELPS program. For other information on family disaster plans, visit the Department of Health website.

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