CPCA Emergency Preparedness Budget Request

CPCA represents over 630 non-profit community clinics and health centers (CCHCs) which provide primary and preventative health services to 3.4 million low-income, ethnically diverse patients- of which nearly half have limited English proficiency. Because of the unique CCHC patient population and their mission to serve everyone regardless of their ability to pay, CCHCs can provide critical surge capacity to the emergency response community when given resources and training. Since 2002, California CCHCs have secured resources such as communications equipment, generators, surge tents, pharmaceutical caches as well as training and direct grants through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) National Bioterrorism Preparedness Program (NBHPP). While CCHCs have done well securing HRSA emergency preparedness resources, CPCA now recognizes that our organization needs to enhance our own emergency preparedness capacityso that we can better assist the CCHCs as well as our local, state, and federal governmental and non-governmental partners in time of emergency.

CPCA is requesting the following budget items be granted from Direct Relief International (DRI):

Statewide Emergency Preparedness Communications and Tele-Medicine Infrastructure

CPCA is a statewide organization linking CCHCs throughout the state. CPCA is in a unique position to coordinate and serve as the statewide communication hub for CCHCs in case of an emergency. Not only would CPCA link the CCHC community, CPCA would link to other state and federal organizations. To facilitate this role, CPCA is proposing to advance a statewide video conferencing infrastructure with four of the Regional clinic associations known as the Consortia who can serve as disaster resource centers and alternative tele-medicine sites. Also, CPCA plans to coordinate CCHC drills and exercises to test the CCHCs’ Emergency Operations Plans and develop stronger ties with their disaster planning partners. Our counterparts involved in the Hurricane Katrina-affected states sought support from CCHCs in non-affected areas for disaster response and the state Primary Care Associations responded by serving as information centers. CPCA will use technology for developing a statewide emergency preparedness communication system utilizing the Regional Consortia as points of access that would allow CCHCs throughout the state to support their colleagues when a disaster strikes.

CPCA Video Conference Equipment - $15,000

This budget request is for CPCA to purchase videoconferencing equipment.This technology would be used for the organization’s meetings, trainings and planningas well as for communication and statewide collaboration during a disaster. In addition, this technology could be used during a pandemic influenza outbreak because CPCA could serve patients without physical contact which prevents the risk of influenza transmission to the provider. CPCA’s Director of Clinical Affairs, Dr. Thom Mahoney, is a licensed physician with years of primary care experience.

CPCABridgeEquipment to Regional Consortia- $37,200

This budget request would be to purchase the videoconferencing equipment that will give CPCA the ability “to bridge” to fifteen other videoconferencing sites.CPCA would be the hub site along the existing hubs of the Northern Sierra Rural Health Network in Nevada County who can connect twenty-four CCHC sites, the Council of Community Clinics in San Diego who can connect sixteen CCHC sites, and the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County who is placing videoconferencing equipment in each of the forty-two CCHC sites. When this network is in place, CPCA will be able to communicate with up to ninety-eight CCHC sites at one time that have telemedicine capacity. The video conference network of these four hubs would also give CPCA videoconference redundancy in case of a disaster.

Videoconference Network Consultant- $10,000

Because CPCA does not have the staff expertise or capacity, CPCA would work in partnership with the Sacramento-based California Telemedicine and eHealth Center (CTEC) to provide consulting services on videoconferencing and bridge equipment procurement, equipment installation, technical assistance and troubleshooting, CPCA staff training on the videoconferencing equipment, and ongoing technical support. For more information about CTEC’s programs, please visit:

MonthlyT1 Line Service Fee- $6,000

In order to maximize the use of the videoconferencing equipment, CPCA requests the monthly T-1 line service fee of $500.00 per month for one year.

Budget item / Amount
CPCA Video Conference Equipment / $15,000
CPCABridge Equipment / $37,200
Videoconferencing Consultant / $10,000
MonthlyT1 line service fee for one year @ $500 per month x 12 / $6,000
18% Overhead- consultant / $1,800
Total / $70,000

CPCA Emergency Preparedness Communication System Implementation Plan

September 2006: CPCA will:

  • Once CPCA’s budget request is granted, CPCA will meet with CTEC to evaluate the videoconference equipment options for our organization.
  • Sign a standard consulting contract with CTEC to outline their scope work for the videoconference network project.

Fall 2006: CPCA will:

  • Purchase and install the videoconference and bridge equipment with CTEC’s assistance.
  • Sign up for the monthly T-1 service to allow connection for the equipment.
  • Have CTEC train key CPCA staff on usage and how to troubleshoot basic problems.
  • Work with CTEC to test CPCA’s bridge network with the CCALAC, CCC, and NSRHN networks.

Winter 2007: CPCA will:

  • Usevideoconference network for a training or meeting to test the entire network capacity.

September 2007: CPCA will:

  • Provide DRI will a final grant report on equipment purchased and its usage by CPCA.

CPCA Direct Relief International Equipment Request

September 2006 Page 1