Leadership, Management and Workforce Development
Sharing Session - 60 Minutes
Sam Abrams, MPH, PMP
Specialist, Public Health Preparedness and Response
Association of Public Health Laboratories
Sean Page, BS, CAPM
Associate Specialist, PHPR
APHL
To effectively respond to emerging public health threats and natural disasters, it is imperative for public health departments and laboratories to have established and functioning relationships across their jurisdiction and with external facilities. Twenty years ago, the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) formed the Laboratory Response Network (LRN) - a prime example of a system whose success relies on the relationship between public and private partners. Public Health Laboratories, which comprise the Laboratory Response Network, work with many diverse partners, including private clinical laboratories and first responders, to recognize, rule-out, and refer threats and thus protect the public's health.
At the end of this sharing session, participants will (1) gain a better understanding of the history of the LRN and its accomplishments and systems in place in public health laboratories to engage private clinical laboratories and other partners; (2) discuss leadership development for all levels of staff; and (3) describe evaluation approached to measuring the strength of the public-private partnership.