10A NCAC 48B .0304. BENCHMARK 7

(a)  Benchmark: The local health department shall maintain and implement epidemiological case investigation protocols providing for rapid detection and containment of communicable disease outbreaks; environmental health hazards; potential biological, chemical and radiological threats.

(b)  Activities:

(1)           The local health department shall have epidemiological case investigation protocols in place.

(2)           The local health department shall conduct communicable disease investigations, follow-up, documentation and reporting activities.

(3)           The local health department shall investigate and respond to environmental health complaints or referrals.

(4)           The local health department shall have a public health preparedness and response plan that:

(A)          corresponds to existing local and state emergency and bioterrorism plans

(B)          establishes roles and responsibilities of plan participants

(C)          identifies training for participants in those roles

(D)          establishes a chain of command among plan participants

(E)           describes a system of emergency notification to local and state public health staff and other key decision makers based upon the nature of the event

(F)           is available to staff on site

(5)           The local health director shall maintain periodic communication with local emergency managers.

(6)           The local health department shall annually test or implement the local public health preparedness and response plan.

(7)           The local health department shall have one of the following:

(A)          public health preparedness and response coordination team with an environmental health member and a public health preparedness response coordinator, or

(B)          an epidemiology team with an environmental health member and an epidemiology team coordinator.

 

History Note:        Authority G.S. 130A-34.1;

Temporary Adoption Eff. January 1, 2006;

Eff. October 1, 2006.