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CPHRC News

View of nursing home

Training Long-Term Care Facility Staff in Infection Control and Emergency Preparedness in Pennsylvania

In Fall 2024 the Center launched six courses in infection control and emergency preparedness for nursing home and long-term care staff.

CPHRC Director Leading Pilot Project to Support Nursing Home and Long-Term Care Workforce

Beginning in June 2023, researchers will develop training programs in emergency preparedness and other topics for nursing home and long-term care staff.

Parent hold hand of a child with backpack

CPHRC Publishes Research on Communication Preferences of Special Needs Families During Infectious Disease Emergencies

Researchers surveyed special needs families in Pennsylvania about their trusted messengers during emergencies. Their research was published in Health Security in December 2022.

Tom Hipper Talks Health Communication and COVID-19 on Drexel's 10,000 Hours Podcast

Podcast guest Tom Hipper looks at the messaging during COVID-19 and how we need to change the way we communicate to the public when the next disaster strikes.

CPHRC present poster at APHA

CPHRC Presents Findings on the Disaster Communication Needs of Children With Special Health Care Needs at APHA

Leah Popek and Rachel Seitz presented findings from a survey which sought to better understand the disaster information needs of families with special needs children.

CPHRC Publishes Article in Special Issue of the American Journal of Public Health

The Center publishes the article, "A Quantitative Public Health Risk Assessment Tool for Planning for At-Risk Populations."

CPHRC Awarded Mini-Grant to Provide Climate Change Workshops for Drexel Medical Students

Workshops to provide medical students with knowledge and skills to communicate the health effects of climate change on vulnerable communities.

Social Media Library Poster

Tom Hipper and Jill Nash-Arot Present Posters at the 2016 Preparedness Summit

On April 21, 2016, CPHRC Program Manager, Tom Hipper, and Public Health Planner, Jill Nash-Arot, presented two posters at the annual Preparedness Summit hosted by the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) in Dallas, TX.

PPA Tabletop Exercise

CPHRC Hosts Disaster Preparedness Workshop for Pennsylvania Pharmacists and Partners

On January 29, 2016, the Center for Public Health Readiness and Communication held a half-day workshop for Pennsylvania pharmacists and partners at the annual mid-year meeting of the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association.

Tom Hipper Presents During FEMA Webinar on Vulnerable Populations

On November 24, 2015, CPHRC Program Manager, Tom Hipper, spoke during a public webinar hosted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Individual and Community Preparedness Division, entitled "Community Discussion: Preparing Individuals Disproportionately Impacted by Disasters."

Dr. Vincent Covello

CPHRC Organizes Risk, Crisis, and Emergency Communication Trainings Featuring Dr. Vincent T. Covello

Dr. Vincent Covello, founder and Director of the Center for Risk Communication, was the featured facilitator of a series of four identical trainings on risk, crisis, and emergency communication throughout the state of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Chernak Presents at Homeland Security Symposium

Dr. Esther Chernak, CPHRC Director, presented at the Pennsylvania Office of Homeland to Security's educational symposium entitled "Confronting the Global Threat: Bioterrorism Agents/Diseases," on October 22, 2015.

CPHRC Launches Social Media Message Library

On September 10, 2015, the Center for Public Health Readiness and Communication launched its much-anticipated Social Media Message Library. This web-based resource is designed to assist public health and health care agencies with using social media platforms to communicate with stakeholders during public health emergencies.

CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Highlights Grand Rounds Featuring Dr. Esther Chernak

In its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report for September 11, 2015, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlighted its grand rounds on children in disasters featuring CPHRC Director, Dr. Esther Chernak.

Dr. Chernak Gives Keynote Address to the Annual Meeting of the Pennsylvania Society of Healthcare Risk Managers

Director of CPHRC, Dr. Esther Chernak, gave the keynote address to the Annual Meeting of the Pennsylvania Society of Healthcare Risk Managers, held on April 23rd, 2015 at the ECRI Institute in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania.

Tom Hipper Presents at the Preparedness Summit

Tom Hipper Presents at the Annual Preparedness Summit in Atlanta, GA

CPHRC Program Manager, Tom Hipper, gave a presentation about the Center's forthcoming Social Media Library at the 10th Annual Preparedness Summit in Atlanta, Georgia on April 14, 2015.

Dr. Chernak Presents Emergency Preparedness Webinar Series to Primary Care Practices

Dr. Esther Chernak, Director of the Center for Public Health Readiness and Communication, presented a six-part webinar series educating primary care physicians on the importance and practice of emergency preparedness.

CERC Slide

Tom Hipper Lectures at The College of New Jersey on the Use of New Media and Technology in Disasters

On November 13th, 2014, Tom Hipper, Program Manager of the CPHRC, gave a lecture at The College of New Jersey on the use new media and technology in disasters.

Dr. Chernak Gives Presentation at School of Public Health's Ebola Teach-In

On October 30, 2014, Dr. Esther Chernak, MD, MPH, Director of the Center for Public Health Readiness and Communication, gave an overview of the Ebola epidemic at the Dornsife School of Public Health's Ebola Teach-In.

Tom Hipper

Tom Hipper Talks About Human Service Agencies in Disasters in Montgomery County

Tom Hipper, CPHRC Program Manager, gave a talk about the importance of human service agencies in disaster response and recovery at the "Cohesive Community Preparedness for Emergencies in Montgomery County" meeting. 

FB Chat

Dr. Esther Chernak fields Ebola questions on 6abc Action News Facebook Chat

Dr. Esther Chernak answered hundreds of questions from viewers about the fight against Ebola in a 6abc Action News Facebook chat held by the station.

Chernak Ebola Talk

Dr. Esther Chernak gives Ebola talk at October's International Cafe

Dr. Esther Chernak, MD, MPH, Director of the Center for Public Health Readiness and Communication, gave a talk entitled, "Ebola Virus Disease - 2014" during October's International Café.

Dr. Esther Chernak presents to National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health

Dr. Esther Chernak, Director of the Center for Public Health Readiness and Communication, presented a webinar on disaster planning for community pediatric medical practices for a webinar series hosted by the National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health.

CPHRC supports social service agency leadership symposium held by SEPA VOAD

Tom Hipper, CPHRC Program Manager, and Dr. Esther Chernak, CPHRC director, assisted the Southeastern Pennsylvania Voluntary Organizations in Disaster (SEPA VOAD) to convene a day-long planning summit for human service agency leadership in southeastern Pennsylvania on June 10, 2014.

Tom Hipper Gives Talk at Business Continuity & Disaster Preparedness Summit

On May 29th, 2014, Tom Hipper, CPHRC Program Manager, spoke at the Business Continuity & Disaster Preparedness Summit in Chester County

CPHRC hosts MERS-CoV tabletop exercise focused on child health

The CPHRC convened a tabletop exercise on May 22, 2014 with representatives from Pennsylvania state government agencies to address inter-agency coordination during major disasters that impact the health of children.