EMERGING ISSUES
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
When emergencies strike — whether natural disasters, power outages, or other unexpected disruptions — health centers serve as essential access points for the people who need care most. Maintaining services during these moments is not just an operational priority; it is a commitment to the communities health centers serve.
STRENGTHENING READINESS ACROSS THE NETWORK
Health centers are often among the last safety nets standing when emergencies disrupt the broader health system. Building and sustaining that readiness takes ongoing effort, coordination, and access to the right tools and knowledge. We work alongside health centers to strengthen emergency preparedness capacity through planning support and shared learning — helping health centers stay operational and continue serving patients when it matters most.
Emergency Preparedness learning team
Shared Learning. Stronger Preparedness.
Through our Emergency Preparedness Learning Team, we bring health centers together to learn from one another and from local and national experts. This ongoing forum supports health centers in strengthening plans, sharing challenges, and staying current on emerging guidance and best practices in health care emergency preparedness.
Areas of focus
Emergency planning and risk assessment
Continuity of operations during disruptions
Staff training and preparedness exercises
Coordination with community and regional partners
CMS Emergency Preparedness Rule compliance
Resources & Partners
We connect health centers with trusted national and local resources to support their preparedness work.
(HSLRP) Hawaiʻi Healthcare Emergency Management Coalition (HHEM)
A statewide healthcare emergency management coalition providing integrated communication systems, coordination of healthcare response and recovery, patient tracking, emergency response teams, and planning and preparedness activities including training, workshops, and exercises.
CMS Emergency Preparedness Rule
Establishes baseline emergency preparedness requirements for FQHCs, covering risk assessment, planning, communication, and staff training.
ASPR TRACIE
A national healthcare emergency preparedness information gateway providing technical assistance to healthcare coalitions, providers, and emergency managers working in disaster medicine and healthcare system preparedness. ASPR TRACIE Includes resources and topic collections specifically for FQHCs.
Looking to access past training resources?
Many of our Emergency Preparedness Learning Team modules are available through our learning management system.