The Macomb County Health Department has been recognized by the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) for its ability to plan for, respond to, and recover from public health emergencies. The recognition is based on the Macomb County Health Department's demonstrated capabilities by meeting the comprehensive preparedness benchmarks required by Project Public Health Ready (PPHR), a unique partnership between NACCHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Macomb County Health Department joins a group of more than 550 local health departments across the country that have been distinguished for excellence in preparedness through PPHR, either individually or as part of a region. In addition, the Macomb County Health Department is one of 12 local health departments in the State of Michigan and one of two in Southeast Michigan to achieve this distinction. The current recognition, which runs through 2030 will mark 15 consecutive years of this achievement.

"We are proud to have been recognized by Project Public Health Ready for our high level of preparedness," said Andrew Cox, Director/Health Officer of the Macomb County Department of Health and Community Services. "We will continue to improve our ability to respond quickly and effectively to any public health crisis in Macomb County."

PPHR recognition confirms that the Macomb County Health Department has a thorough and coordinated emergency response plan in place and that staff have the training to protect the health of the community during an emergency. Local health departments recognized by PPHR undergo a rigorous evaluation by peer review to assess their ability to meet a set of national standards for public health preparedness. These standards align with federal government requirements and other national best practices.

"This honor is exceedingly well-deserved because it reflects tremendous effort, dedication, creativity, and cooperation of our entire team of emergency preparedness professionals along with our state and local partners" said Krista Willette, Director of the Macomb County Health Department. "This is important work, and the health department plays an integral role in a timely and effective response to any local or regional emergency."

"Public health preparedness planning, response, and recovery begins at the local level. Local health departments play an essential role in creating healthy, resilient communities that can respond to and recover from disasters." said Lori T. Freeman, Chief Executive Officer of NACCHO, "NACCHO commends the Macomb County Health Department for being a model of public health emergency preparedness."

For more information on the Macomb County Health Department's Emergency Preparedness program, visit https://bit.ly/3Mltnht. For more information on Project Public Health Ready, including recognized sites, project tools, and resources, visit http://www.naccho.org/PPHR.

Scott Turske

[email protected]