The University of Nebraska Board of Regents recently accepted a request to change the name of the UNMC Center for Biosecurity, Biopreparedness and Emerging Infectious Diseases (CBBEID) to the Center for Preparedness and Emergency Response Solutions (CPERS).
The center, part of the UNMC College of Public Health, was approved by regents in 2007 and reapproved in 2011, 2016 and 2021. It was formed in response to the 2001 anthrax attacks with the goal of serving the public health emergency responders in Nebraska with planning, training and exercise services.
While its original focus was the public health response to biological terrorism and related incidents, the center has meaningfully evolved over the past 16 years.
Services offered by CPERS consider all hazards — from natural disasters including tornadoes and floods to man-made threats such as active shooter incidents and cyber-attacks. Likewise, its focus on public health has expanded to include health care, emergency medical services, emergency management, law enforcement and others.
“It is important that our words match our actions,” said UNMC College of Public Health Dean Ali S. Khan, MD, MPH. “This name change better reflects how the college supports public health, health care and other responders.”