Cities Readiness Initiative: A National Priority A Strategic National Stockpile (SNS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Public Health Training Network Satellite Broadcast and Webcast Originally aired October 19, 2006 Course Overview The Cities Readiness Initiative (CRI) is a program to aid cities in increasing their capacity to deliver medication and medical supplies during a large-scale public health emergency, such as a bioterrorism attack. This initiative focuses on a very specific element of preparedness – the ability to distribute medication to a population in a specified time period. CRI is a collaborative, multi-jurisdictional effort between local, state, county, and federal authorities that transcends jurisdictional boundaries. CRI began in 2004 with 21 pilot cities, expanded in 2005 to 36 cities, and increased in 2006 to 72 cities, allowing the program to extend into all 50 states. This broadcast is designed to give an overview of CRI for preparedness planners and city officials. Goal To assist city leaders and planners in understanding the goals of and their roles in CRI. Objectives Upon successful completion of the program, participants will be able to: * Define the Cities Readiness Initiative (CRI) * Describe the roles of the United States Postal Service and the United State Marshals Service in CRI * State two goals for city planners participating in CRI * Describe how CRI funding is determined * Describe the assessment process for cities involved in CRI * Promote health improvement, wellness, and disease prevention in cooperation with patients, communities, at-risk populations, and other members of an inter-professional team of health care providers by assuring the availability of effective, quality health and disease prevention services. Target Audience Governors, mayors, executive decision makers, city and state directors of health, city and state bioterrorism coordinators, city and state directors of homeland security, emergency managers, directors of public safety/police, county commissioners, county health directors, county sheriffs, city police chiefs, state and local SNS planners, and other city and state government leaders. Presenters William F. Raub, PhD, Science Advisor to the Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Richard Besser, MD, Director, Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Commander Patricia Pettis, Cities Readiness Coordinator, Division of Strategic National Stockpile, Coordinating Office of Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Jean Popiak, MHA, Public Health Analyst, Division of State and Local Readiness, Coordinating Office of Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Disclosures CDC, our planners, and our content experts wish to disclose that they have no financial interests or other relationships with the manufacturers of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services, or commercial supporters. The use of trade names or commercial sources is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an endorsement by the United States Department of Health and Human Services or the Public Health Service. This activity did not receive commercial support of any kind. Presentations will not include any discussion of the unlabeled use of a product or the product under investigational use. Views expressed by guest participants are not necessarily the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Legal views offered in this program are the opinions of the speakers and do not constitute legal advice from the CDC or HHS.