Children’s Hospitals: Join a Collaborative to Improve Disaster Preparedness

The federally funded Pediatric Pandemic Network (PPN) - which aims to improve outcomes for children in emergencies, disasters, and pandemics - is launching its first collaborative opportunity: the Disaster Networking Collaborative (DNC). The DNC is open to all children’s hospitals in the United States, with the goal of establishing partnerships with local, state, regional, and national emergency preparedness systems and networks to better address the needs of children and families. The 10-month collaborative kicks off in September and will run through June 2024.

The collaborative will emphasize three key areas:

• Garnering C-suite or hospital leadership support for pediatric disaster preparedness
• Establishing consistent disaster roles and responsibilities
• Engaging with the emergency medicine landscape and communities

Participating children’s hospitals will exchange ideas, contribute to regional planning efforts, refine best practices, and learn from PPN experts. The collaborative will also serve as the foundation for future national efforts to enhance pediatric disaster preparedness and response.

No prior disaster preparedness experience is required. Monthly virtual sessions will focus on quality improvement strategies and consensus-driven approaches. Participants can expect to dedicate between three and five hours each month to collaborative activities, including learning sessions.

Attend an information webinar, "Disaster Networking Collaborative: Growing the Influence of Children's Hospitals" on July 25, 2pm CT. Please visit the collaborative website for more information or register here.