Two nonprofit organizations recently published a 79 page analysis called “Ready or Not?” over public health preparedness. It includes the ability of hospitals, health departments and others to prevent and respond when disaster strikes. Disasters include anything from bioterrorism to influenza outbreaks to catastrophic weather.
Kansas and Montana have tied for last place and only scored three out of 10 on the preparedness benchmark scale. States that scored as high as eight out of 10 include Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Vermont or Wisconsin.
The assessment included key benchmarks such as how quickly public health workers can respond to drills. An example would be how swiftly its labs can identify an unknown disease.
After the September 11 attacks, states began receiving up to $1 billion a year from the federal government to prevent and respond to public health emergencies. Because of this, states are more prepared for disasters than they were a decade ago. Potential future budget cuts threaten this progress.
Forty-eight states have cut their health budgets since 2008 in light of the recession.
