About the Center
On this page:
Our mission
To reduce loss of life, injury and illness by developing and delivering services within Connecticut, across the nation and around the world that advance healthcare planning, preparedness, response and recovery from emergency events and disasters through collaborative partnerships and coordinated program
Our vision
Our vision is to be a recognized leader regionally, nationally and internationally in emergency management for the health-related aspects of emergencies and disasters.
Our history
As a result of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the Yale New Haven Health System (YNHHS) created the Center for Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response in June 2002. In that same time period, YNHHS was designated by the Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health as a Center of Excellence for Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response in the state. Since then, YNHHS, through its Center for Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response, has developed and delivered numerous creative, practical emergency preparedness programs and services to facilities across the state and around the nation. The Center is also a CDC-designated Center for Public Health Preparedness.
Recognition
The Center has partnered with a number of national and international organizations engaged in development of standards or programs and services for the health care industry related to emergency preparedness and disaster response. Each collaboration allows the Center to expand dissemination of its own programs and services and enhance and share its expertise on a global scale. These partners include:
AMA: The American Medical Association has designated the Center as the New England region training center for its National Disaster Life Support (NDLS) courses for physicians, physician assistants, advanced practice nurses, registered nurses, emergency medical technicians and paramedics.
ASPR BTCDP: The Center was one of handful of organizations that received funding for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response’s Bioterrorism Training and Curriculum Development Program to provide emergency preparedness education and training for heath care delivery organizations across the nation.
Connecticut Department of Public Health: The commissioner for the State of Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) designated us as a Center of Excellence for Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response. In this role, the Center continues to collaborate with DPH on many emergency preparedness initiatives such as emergency credentialing, a mobile hospital facility and a biodosimetry laboratory.
The Joint Commission: In recognition of Yale New Haven Health System's expertise and capacity for continued contributions to the emergency preparedness and response capabilities of health care delivery organizations, The Joint Commission identified YNHHS as a national leader in hospital emergency preparedness and highlighted our programs in a recent Joint Commission satellite broadcast. The Joint Commission has also asked the Center to collaborate on development of emergency preparedness hospital standards.
USNORTHCOM: The NORAD/USNORTHCOM Homeland Security/Defense Education Consortium invited the Center to join its consortium, which promotes and facilitates homeland security-related education program development and research and evaluation. Most recently, the Center, in collaboration with USNORTHCOM, has established the National Center for Integrated Civilian-Military Domestic Disaster Medical Response.
PAHO: The Pan American Health Organization is developing a partnership with the Center to adapt and disseminate education and training programs for emergency preparedness throughout this hemisphere.
