[DRAFT] Public Health Response Team
- Responsible Office: Division of Administration
- Draft Date: 02/22/2021
- Policy Type: Administrative
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF PROPOSED POLICY:
Public Health Response Team
New Policy ☒ or Substantive Revision ☐
Policy Type: Administrative
Responsible Office: Vice President for Administration
Draft Date: 12/10/2020
Initial Policy Approved: MM/DD/YYYY
Revision History: None – New Policy
Governance Process Tracking:
If new BOV policy, enter date and name of President (or designee) approving development of policy: MM/DD/YYY – Name
If new Administrative policy, enter date and name of President’s Cabinet member approving development of policy: 12/10/2020 – Dr. Meredith Weiss
Integrity & Compliance Office Review: MM/DD/YYYY
University Counsel Review: MM/DD/YYYY
Public Comment Posting: MM/DD/YYYY
University Council Academic Affairs and University Policy Committee Review: MM/DD/YYYY
University Council Review: MM/DD/YYYY
President’s Cabinet Approval: MM/DD/YYYY
Board of Visitors Approval (if applicable): MM/DD/YYYY
created ☒ or revised ☐?
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In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the university administration recognize the need for formal authority for a group of public health experts to advise the university on infectious disease outbreak and mitigation.
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or Revised policy ☐: What are the substantive differences between this draft and the current policy?
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The university authorizes and maintains a group of public health experts for the purposes of reviewing infectious disease outbreaks within the university community. This group, known as the Public Health Response Team, will make recommendations to university administration regarding appropriate courses of action regarding outbreak mitigation and response.
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VCU Division of Student Affairs; VCU Employee Health Services; VCU Student Health Services; chair of VCU Department of Family Medicine; Chair of VCU Department of Epidemiology; VCU Health System Epidemiology Department; VCU Pathology Department; VCU Office of Environmental Health and Safety; VCU Office of Emergency Management
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Emergency Notification, Response and Evacuation (https://policy.vcu.edu/universitywide-policies/policies/emergency-notification-response-and-evacuation.html)
Business Continuity Management (https://policy.vcu.edu/universitywide-policies/policies/business-continuity-management.html)
Environmental Health and Safety and Risk Management (https://policy.vcu.edu/universitywide-policies/policies/environmental-health-and-safety-and-risk-management.html)
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Positive in the event of an outbreak of infectious disease.
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The PHRT is already operating. |
Public Health Response Team
Responsible Office: Vice President for Administration
Initial Policy Approved: New
Current Revision Approved: 02/19//2021
Policy Statement and Purpose________________________
The university authorizes and maintains a group of public health experts for the purposes of reviewing infectious disease outbreaks affecting the university community. This group, known as the Public Health Response Team, will make recommendations to university administration regarding appropriate courses of action regarding outbreak mitigation and response.
The purpose of this policy is to demonstrate how this group functions within the university and outline the representation of expertise among the team members.
Noncompliance with this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination. VCU supports an environment free from retaliation. Retaliation against any employee who brings forth a good faith concern, asks a clarifying question, or participates in an investigation is prohibited.
Table of Contents_______________________
| Who Should Know This Policy | 2 |
| Definitions | 2 |
| Contacts | 2 |
| Policy Specifics and Procedures | 2 |
| Forms | 3 |
| Related Documents | 3 |
| Revision History | 3 |
| FAQ | 3 |
Who Should Know This Policy__________________________
All college, school and departments heads are responsible for knowing this policy and familiarizing themselves with its contents and provisions.
Definitions______________________
Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP)
The CEMP provides the VCU structures and processes for coordinating incident management activities for natural and human caused emergencies and disasters. Following the guidance provided by the National Response Framework (NRF), National Incident Management System (NIMS), and other supporting documents, the CEMP creates an umbrella configuration for existing department emergency and incident management plans.
Incident Coordination Team (ICT)
Consisting of senior management from various operating disciplines across the university, the ICT governs and manages the response to emergencies covered by the CEMP.
Contacts________________________
The vice president of administration officially interprets this policy. The assistant vice president of safety and risk management is responsible for obtaining approval for any revisions as required by the policy Creating and Maintaining Policies and Procedures through the appropriate governance structures. Please direct policy questions to the assistant vice president of safety and risk management.
Policy Specifics and Procedures______________________
The Public Health Response Team (PHRT) will offer medical, epidemiological, and health care guidance and recommendations to the university administration via the Incident Coordination Team (ICT) as it relates to outbreaks of infectious disease. *Note: The ICT evaluates the institutional effects of an emergency, determines business recovery and resumption priorities overseen by the ICT leader.
1. PHRT Membership: Membership is based on the nature of the infectious disease and may change or be expanded at the discretion of the chair(s) or the ICT.
· The PHRT is co-chaired by the Director of Student Health Services and the Director of Employee Health Services.
· Membership shall include the following at a minimum:
- Epidemiologists familiar with infectious disease
- A representative of the local health district of the Virginia Department of Health
- A representative of the Office of Environmental Health and Safety or Safety and Risk Management
- A representative from the VCU Health System
· The univeristy ICT reserves the right to appoint new chairs and expand the membership in the event of wide-spread community transmission of infectious disease or other unique or emergent need.
2. Meetings Frequency: The PHRT will meet at the discretion of the co-chairs.
Forms__________________________
There are no forms associated with this policy and procedures.
Related Documents_____________________________________________________
Emergency Notification, Response and Evacuation (https://policy.vcu.edu/universitywide-policies/policies/emergency-notification-response-and-evacuation.html)
Business Continuity Management (https://policy.vcu.edu/universitywide-policies/policies/business-continuity-management.html)
Environmental Health and Safety and Risk Management (https://policy.vcu.edu/universitywide-policies/policies/environmental-health-and-safety-and-risk-management.html)
Revision History_______________________________________________________________________
This policy supersedes the following archived policies:
Approval/Revision Date Title
None – New Policy
FAQ_________________________________________________________________________________
There are no FAQ associated with this policy and procedures.
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