Montgomery County Advanced Practice Center for Publc health emergency preparedness and response

History of the Montgomery APC Program

In September 2004, the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), awarded Montgomery County, Public Health Services an Advanced Practice Center grant for public health emergency preparedness.  Montgomery County is one of eight Advanced Practice Centers in the United States.

The Montgomery County APC is a part of the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Program.  The program was established in 2001 as a result of 9/11 and the anthrax attacks afftecting the Washington metropolitan area.  In the event of a bio-terrorist event or other public health emergency, Montgomery County and the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene are prepared to follow procedures for quickly protecting the public's health. 

The purpose of Montgomery County's Advanced Practice Center for Public Health Preparedness and Response is:

• To be a resource in emergency response capabilities for local public health agencies, especially those who are also planning on a multi-jurisdictional area;
• To collect appropriate tools that other local public health agencies in the National Capital Region have developed for dissemination; and
• To create and develop toolkits, technologies, and other materials that have been evaluated and tested in Montgomery County, into formats that can be easily replicated and used by other local public health agencies.

Our focus includes public health emergency awareness and education, systems to dispense medicines and supplies, and vulnerable populations such as young children and senior residents.

For Project Year 2011, Montgomery APC focus is evaluation and revision of tools from previous project years.