Emergency Planning and Preparedness

The Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health Division (MCAH) of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) recognizes the importance of Emergency Preparedness (EP) planning and response as it relates to MCAH populations.

CA State level response and Efforts

The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) provides coordination, guidance, and assistance in the planning, response, and recovery for all disasters within the state. Cal OES is a cabinet-level office responsible for creating and maintaining the State of California Emergency Plan (SEP). The SEP describes how response to natural or human-caused emergencies occurs in California and is a requirement of the California Emergency Services Act (ESA).

CDPH Response and Efforts

During emergency situations, CDPH, California Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA), and Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) activate the Medical Health and Coordination Center (MHCC). The MHCC coordinates across programs and departments to communicate with clinicians and health departments to provide guidance and establish protocols in response to emergencies. CDPH coordinates with various CDPH subject matter experts (e.g., epidemiologists, infection control specialists, public information officers, etc.), and mobilizes CDPH Incident Response Teams (IRT).

The Emergency Preparedness Office (EPO) coordinates and maintains the IRT Program, which is comprised of volunteers from CDPH, EMSA, and DHCS. The purpose of the IRT Program is to establish a roster of trained staff to serve in the MHCC, Richmond Campus Coordination Center (RCCC), and the Receiving, Storing, and Staging Mobilization Center (RSS-MC) during a public health and/or medical emergency. There are seven IRTs that manage emergency response activities including collaborating with stakeholders, tracking resources, calculating incident costs, fulfilling resource requests, coordinating situation reports, and distributing the MHCC Situation Report and MHCC Action Plan each operational period. In times of emergencies, CDPH/MCAH responds with daily reports of need throughout the state and requests assistance, if needed, at the state or local level. The Center for Family Health (CFH) then participates on daily phone calls to update the MHCC. 

LOCAL-LEVEL RESPONSE

CDPH activates the MHCC to respond to various emergencies such as COVID-19 or wildfires. CDPH/MCAH then communicates with the Local Health Jurisdictions (LHJs) to gain information about interrupted services (if any), and the agency’s needs related to serving the MCAH population, particularly pregnant individuals and infants. Additionally, CDPH/MCAH asks for ongoing daily and/or weekly status reports depending on the emergency.

CDPH/MCAH expanded the Local MCAH Scope of Work to include many new options for activities related to serving children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN). One of these new activities is to improve coordination of emergency preparedness and disaster relief support for CYSHCN and their families (COVID-19, wildfires, earthquakes, etc.). As of FY 2021-22, approximately nine local MCAH agencies had selected to implement this activity. The Title V CYSHCN Director (who, at the time, was also the Acting Title V Director) also participated in a learning collaborative organized by The Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs and focused on how to improve emergency planning and preparedness for MCAH populations. This resulted in building a relationship with the CDPH Emergency Preparedness Office, learning about each other’s work and sharing this information out to our local MCAH programs

CDPH/MCAH EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES

In response to public health emergencies, CDPH/MCAH quickly assesses new needs and adapts MCAH activities and programs as needed. In times of emergencies, CDPH/MCAH is prepared to revise and adapt its Title V activities, including local MCAH efforts, and data collection and monitoring efforts to ensure continuity of service. CDPH/MCAH supports the four phases of emergency management via the following activities:

• Mitigation Activities
  • MCAH’s emergency mitigation responsibilities include identifying and monitoring training needs of local programs and any evolving policy issues and planning needs.
• Preparedness Activities
  • MCAH subject matter experts are available to provide MCAH expertise as needed to help assure that state and local emergency plans include:
    • Response Activities
      • Communicating by telephone or email with MCAH-funded local agencies in each jurisdiction to ascertain the status of the MCAH population, the effect of the emergency on that population, any needs that the population may have, and any state support the local agency may need.
      • Receiving information and direction from management and acts as an information conduit to the local MCAH programs or statewide program coordinators.
      • Providing temporary staffing to state and local emergency centers.
      • Following and conveying instructions and guidance from CDPH to statewide and local MCAH programs.
    • Recovery Activities
      • Continuing to provide temporary staffing as needed.
      • Continuing to provide information to statewide MCAH programs.

COVID-19 Response and Efforts

During to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Governors’ Office runs the statewide emergency response. The Director and Chief Deputy Director represent CDPH. Dr. Connie Mitchell, Deputy Director, CFH has represented CDPH/MCAH at multiple levels of emergency response during the pandemic. 

CDPH/MCAH responded to the COVID-19 pandemic in the following ways:

• Provided program accommodations, communications, social media, guidance documents, informational websites, etc.
• Leveraged California’s Maternal and Infant Health Assessment to conduct a special inquiry and data collection related to COVID-19.
• Activated MHCC on March 19, 2020.
• Communicated with all MCAH Directors daily, initially, then weekly during the emergency response.

CDPH staff have provided support to ensure delivery of critical MCAH services at the local level, and to assist local communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes coordinating with partners at the state and local levels to develop emergency preparedness and response plans.

CDPH/MCAH redirected substantial numbers of staff to focus on the pandemic response. At one-point CDPH/MCAH redirected nearly 35% of staff to help with the COVID-19 response, including CFH leadership. In the future, CDPH/MCAH hopes to have the staff and resources necessary to build upon and expand partnership with CDPH EPO. In the meantime, CDPH/MCAH continues to support the department in its efforts to consider the needs of the MCAH population during emergencies, including but not limited to wildfires, power shutoffs and power outages, earthquakes, and pandemics.