Public health emergencies require strategic preparedness and rapid response from public health organizations. In next week's assignment, you will prioritize actions to respond to a Monkeypox outbreak. In this activity, you describe the role of a chosen public health agency or organization to combat such an outbreak as well as key organizations that will partner with them.
Preparation
Choose and research a public health care agency/organization located in your state, county, or city that is involved in public vaccination efforts. As you examine your organization, consider the key partners and stakeholders that will aid in the efforts as well as the organization's mission, personnel, and population served.
Download the Week 6 Activity Template [DOCX] Download Week 6 Activity Template [DOCX]and use it to complete your work.
Instructions
Identify a public state, county, or city healthcare agency or organization and do the following using the Week 6 Activity Template:
Part 1: The Organization
Describe the following aspects of your chosen organization/agency as they relate to immunization programs or efforts.
Mission.
Summary of services.
Population served.
Role (What contributions does the organization make to local vaccination efforts? How do they work with other organizations to provide this service?)
Key organizational leadership staff/positions.
Part 2: Partner Organizations
Describe three partner organizations that are essential to the vaccination drive and outline their respective functional roles and responsibilities associated with it. Some examples are churches, federal agencies, hospitals, Non-governmental organizations, other government agencies, et cetera.
Population Served
LAC DPH serves the entire population of Los Angeles County, which is the most populous county in the United States, encompassing over 10 million residents across 88 cities and numerous unincorporated areas. Services are often targeted to reach disproportionately affected and vulnerable populations, including low-income communities, those without access to traditional healthcare, and high-risk groups identified during specific outbreaks (e.g., men who have sex with men during the MPX outbreak).
Role in Local Vaccination Efforts (MPX Context)
LAC DPH acts as the central coordinating and executing authority for local vaccination efforts. Their specific contributions include:
Procurement and Allocation: Receiving, storing, and strategically allocating limited vaccine doses (like JYNNEOS) provided by state and federal partners (CDC/ASPR).
Clinic Operation: Operating large-scale Points of Dispensing (PODs) and mobilizing mobile clinics to ensure equitable access to the vaccine.
Sample Answer
Public Health Agency Response to Monkeypox Outbreak
The chosen public health agency is the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LAC DPH).
Part 1: The Organization (Los Angeles County Department of Public Health)
Mission
The mission of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is to protect health, prevent disease, and promote well-being among all people in Los Angeles County. This involves assessing the health status of the community, enforcing public health laws, and leading efforts to respond to public health emergencies, including infectious disease outbreaks like Monkeypox (MPX).
Summary of Services
LAC DPH provides a wide array of services crucial for managing a health crisis:
Disease Surveillance and Epidemiology: Tracking, investigating, and reporting infectious diseases.
Health Promotion and Education: Developing and disseminating public health messaging.
Clinical Services: Operating public health clinics that provide immunizations, testing, and treatment for infectious diseases (including MPX testing and vaccination).
Regulatory Enforcement: Ensuring compliance with health and safety standards across the county.
Emergency Preparedness: Planning and executing responses to large-scale public health events.