RYAN WHITE TITLE III HIV CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING GRANTS - TITLE: RWHAP PART C CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM-HRSA-22-019 APPLICANT: AIDS CARE GROUP 2304 EDGMONT AVENUE, CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA 19013 CONTACT: HOWELL IRA STRAUSS, DMD; PHONE: 610-389-2301; FAX: 610-534-2504 EMAIL: HOWELLSTRAUSS@AIDSCAREGROUP.ORG WEB: WWW.AIDSCAREGROUP.ORG SUMMARY OF PROJECT AIDS CARE GROUP, A RYAN WHITE PART C PROVIDER SINCE JULY 1ST, 1999, WILL UTILIZE PART C CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT FUNDING TO IMPLEMENT A ONE-YEAR PROGRAM OF INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT FOR THE PURPOSES OF ESTABLISHING AGENCY-WIDE LONG-TERM CAPACITY FOR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS. THIS SUPPORTIVE ACTIVITY WILL BE DEVELOPED FOR THE PURPOSES OF ESTABLISHING A COMPREHENSIVE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLAN FOR ENSURING CONTINUITY OF CARE TO HIV/AIDS PATIENTS RETAINED IN CARE BY THE AGENCY. THROUGHOUT THE 24-YEAR HISTORY OF AIDS CARE GROUP, THE AGENCY HAS CONTENDED WITH A MULTITUDE OF INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL EMERGENCIES THAT HAVE DISRUPTED THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE CARE TO OUR PATIENTS, FROM NATURAL DISASTERS TO PANDEMIC DISEASE. WE HAVE DEALT WITH EVERYTHING FROM FIRES TO SNOWSTORMS, FROM SEWER BACKUPS TO POWER OUTAGES. EACH TIME, STAFF MEMBERS OF THE AGENCY HAVE FACED THE EMERGENCY AT HAND WITH DRIVE AND DETERMINATION - THEY ADDRESSED THE PROBLEM, DETERMINED A SOLUTION, AND RESUMED THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE CARE TO PATIENTS QUICKLY AND SAFELY. HOWEVER, THE PAST TWO YEARS HAVE CLEARLY SHOWN US THAT IT'S NO LONGER TENABLE TO ADDRESS EMERGENCY PROBLEMS WHEN THEY ARISE. INSTEAD, AGENCIES MUST TAKE A MORE PROACTIVE APPROACH IF THEY HOPE TO BE ABLE TO BE PREPARED FOR THE UNCERTAINTY OF TOMORROW. EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS MUST NOW FOCUS ON THE IDENTIFICATION OF HAZARD THREATS BEFORE THEY OCCUR, ADDRESS THE POTENTIAL MITIGATION OF SUCH THREATS, DEVELOP A PLAN FOR RESPONDING TO THREATS WHEN THEY DO ARISE, AND A PLAN FOR RESUMING NORMAL OPERATIONS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. COMMUNICATIONS, CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS, AND STAFF TRAINING PLANS MUST BE DEVELOPED. EVERY KEY MEMBER OF THE ORGANIZA TION MUST RECEIVE INITIAL AND ONGOING TRAINING ON WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF EMERGENCY SO THAT WHEN EMERGENCIES ARISE, THEY KNOW WHERE TO BE AND WHAT TO DO. ADDITIONALLY, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS CANNOT BE CONDUCTED IN A VACUUM. STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS NEED TO BE FORGED WITH LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLANNERS AND HEALTH CARE COALITIONS SO THAT WE MAY SHARE VALUABLE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES AND RESPOND TO EMERGENCIES THAT THREATEN TO OVERWHELM THE LOCAL HEALTHCARE COMMUNITY. THE PANDEMIC EVENTS OF THE PAST TWO YEARS HAVE SERVED AS A DIRE WARNING FOR WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN SYSTEMS FAIL. OVERNIGHT, OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE CONTINUOUS CARE TO OUR PATIENTS WAS THREATENED BY COMPOUNDING EMERGENCIES, SUPPLY-CHAIN FAILURES, SOCIAL UNREST, AND A LACK OF INFORMATION. IT FELT LIKE EVERY DAY WE WERE RESPONDING TO A NEW EMERGENCY, AND IT BECAME NECESSARY TO HANDLE MULTIPLE PRESSING ISSUES AT THE SAME TIME - LIKE SOURCING TOILET PAPER, MASKS, AND PAPER TOWELS WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY ENSURING PATIENTS COULD CONTINUE THEIR MEDICAL CARE SAFELY. THESE EXPERIENCES, WHEN COMBINED WITH THE EXPERIENCES OF THE LAST 24 YEARS, HAVE AMPLIFIED THE CALL TO CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE ALL-HAZARDS VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT AND DEVELOP A ROBUST EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN. THE HEALTHCARE LANDSCAPE IS EVER CHANGING, BUT WE WILL MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO BE READY. SUMMARY OF FUNDING : REQUEST IS MADE FOR $150,000 FOR THE ONE-YEAR PROJECT. FUNDING PREFERENCE: UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES