The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) has received an eight out of 10 possible points in the Robert Wood Johnson’s Trust for America’s Health report released today.
Mississippi is one of only five states to receive eight out of 10 points. Other states to receive this high rank include: Maryland, North Carolina, Vermont and Wisconsin.
According to the report, Mississippi gets strong marks in public health laboratory readiness, community resiliency, emergency management, infection control and response readiness.
The report states: the MSDH public health lab has enough staff to work 12-hour days for six to eight weeks during a public health emergency; MSDH has increased its capacity to test for chemical threats within the Laboratory Response Network; all licensed child care facilities have a multi-hazard, written evacuation and relocation plan; Mississippi is accredited by the Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP)and participates in a multi-state nurse licensure compact; Mississippi requires Medicaid coverage for seasonal flu shots; and MSDH can assemble a public health response team under 11 minutes.
MSDH trains and exercises its public health emergency plans on a regular basis because any type of hazard or emergency can affect the health and safety of Mississippians. In spite of federal and state budget constraints, MSDH has made significant progress toward preparing for public health emergencies. In total, Mississippi has received $10,381,717 for public health emergency preparedness.
