The Nebraska Center for Preparedness Education is sponsoring a national conference April 15-16, to offer new insight and skills to better prepare professionals for disasters in long term care and residential care facilities. The conference will be held at the Embassy Suites in downtown Omaha.
“Evacuation of long term care facilities is difficult. Planning is essential and must address the unique needs of the population, which is vulnerable physically and psychologically during a disaster situation,” said Philip Smith, M.D., professor of infectious diseases at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
Dr. Smith said the conference will feature experts who will help guide organizations through the most important preparedness concerns, share disaster experiences and provide assistance in planning efforts. The conference also provides networking opportunities.
Topics will include:
- “What’s New in Long Term Care?” by Jocelyn Montgomery, director of clinical affairs at the California Association of Health Facilities;
- “Legal Issues in Disaster Planning,” which addresses new and rigorous Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services regulations regarding disaster planning, by Darrell Klein, assistant agency counsel for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services System.
Other topics will include: myths and realities of natural disasters; an introductory incident command workshop; emergency reimbursement management during evacuations; behavioral health guidelines for shelter-in-place and evacuation; and last summer’s East Peak Wildfire in Colorado which reportedly burned about 13,521 acres of forest.
The Iowa Western Community College and the University of Iowa will make continuing education credits available for various health professionals.
Cost of the two-day conference is $195, which includes course materials, continental breakfast, lunch and afternoon refreshments.
Deadline for registration is April 6. A complete agenda and registration information is available at www.preped.org or by contacting the center at 402.552.2529 or center@preped.org.
The Center for Preparedness Education is a joint endeavor between Creighton University School of Medicine and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. The center provides affordable, needs-based training; customized organizational assistance; and comprehensive resources to those involved in disaster preparedness, response and recovery.