Last spring our unit was awarded a highly competitive grant! Of 240 applicants, ours was one of 80 MRC units to receive this great honor. (Details about the grant process and the other winning entries are provided at the bottom of this web page.)

NACCHO provided us with $7,500 for a project over the coming year named "Partnering to Boost Resilience in Special Needs Preschools."

Among other things, these funds were provided so that our members could:

• Bring CPR classes to teachers and aides in our region's special needs preschools. We were shocked to discover that many of these schools cannot afford to offer these life-saving courses to their staff members!!! Thus we were delighted to receive funding to help us provide these skills.
  
• Upgrade our aging CPR supplies, especially given new AHA requirements for feedback manikins.
  
• Certify interested MRC volunteers who would like to become AHA Instructors.
  
• Train our volunteers about caring for special needs preschoolers in a disaster.

We are close to completing all of our grant commitments:

• Trained six of our own volunteers as AHA Instructors as promised, then recruited three more!
  
• Purchased 8 adult feedback manikins (4 Prestan and 4 Laerdal), a 4-pack of AEDs, workbooks, pocket masks, and other classroom essentials.
  
• Certified 10 SPED staff members in Westford (10/8/18) and 31 in Chelmsford (1/8/19) in Heartsaver CPR/AED
  
• Scheduled additional Heartsaver classes for Feb. 5 (inviting Tyngsboro SPED), 13 and 27 (15 staff members for each in Billerica).

By the end of February, we'll have trained at least 75 SPED staff members in CPR (having promised 70). We'll also try to offer classes for Dracut, Lowell, and Tewksbury by June 30, if schedules and remaining funds permit. We're currently working with instructors to schedule a class for our members about the care of special needs preschoolers in disaster -- possibly at Training Day on April 6.

NACCHO Funds 80 Innovative Community Projects through 2018 Medical Reserve Corps Challenge Award

NACCHO in partnership with the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) Program Office, Department of Health and Human Services' Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) is pleased to announce the selection of 80 MRC units to receive the 2018 MRC Challenge Award. Over 240 MRC units across the country submitted applications for one of three funding categories: $2,500, $7,500, or $12,500. The tiered funding levels allowed MRC units to select the funding level that met their needs and those of the community they serve.

The Challenge Award aims to focus innovation in areas that are aligned with national health initiatives that are also significant at the local level. MRC units could propose projects that employ a number of approaches, such as educational programs, formation of unique partnerships, community outreach, and creation of innovative tools or systems. Unit leaders were also encouraged to use this opportunity to evaluate their programs and translate the processes and outcomes through research.

After a competitive two-tiered review process, NACCHO selected 80 MRC units to receive the award.

25 MRC units will receive $2,500 to fund projects focused on strengthening MRC unit capabilities.

44 MRC units will receive $7,500 for community-based initiatives that build MRC volunteer engagement and capabilities, engage community partners, and improve community health and resiliency.

11 MRC units will receive $12,500 to build collaboration across multiple MRC units, community stakeholders, or academic institutions to increase MRC capabilities, build MRC brand awareness, and develop shared resources.

See the full list of 2018 MRC Challenge Award Projects or for more information go to: https://www.naccho.org/programs/public-health-preparedness/medical-reserve-corps