title: Enhancing emergency preparedness and response systems: correlates of collaboration between local health departments and school districts.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Collaboration between existing components of the public health system is important for protecting public health and promoting community resilience. We describe the factors that promote collaborative emergency preparedness and response activities between local health departments (LHDs) and school systems.
  
  
  METHODS
  We gathered data from a multistage, stratified random sample of 750 LHDs nationwide. Utilizing a mailed invitation, we recruited respondents to participate in an online questionnaire. We calculated descriptive and inferential statistics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of LHDs collaborated with school systems for emergency preparedness and response activities and most indicated they were likely to collaborate in the future. Characteristics of the jurisdiction, general experience and perceptions of collaboration, and characteristics of the preparedness collaboration itself predicted future collaboration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results help us understand the nature of collaborations between LHDs and school systems on emergency preparedness and response activities, which can be used to identify priority areas for developing successful and sustainable joint efforts in the future. By focusing on the perceived value of collaboration and building on existing non-preparedness partnering, communities can increase the likelihood of ongoing successful LHD-school system emergency preparedness collaborations.
authors.affiliation: University of California, Los Angeles, Fielding School of Public Health, Department of Community Health Sciences, Center for Public Health and Disasters, Los Angeles, CA.
authors.forename: Kimberley I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Shoaf
authors.affiliation: University of California, Los Angeles, Fielding School of Public Health, Department of Community Health Sciences, Los Angeles, CA.
authors.forename: Melissa M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Kelley
authors.affiliation: University of California, Los Angeles, Fielding School of Public Health, Department of Community Health Sciences, Center for Public Health and Disasters, Los Angeles, CA.
authors.forename: Kaitlin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: O'Keefe
authors.affiliation: University of California, Los Angeles, Fielding School of Public Health, Department of Community Health Sciences, Center for Public Health and Disasters, Los Angeles, CA.
authors.forename: Katharine D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Arrington
authors.affiliation: University of California, Los Angeles, Fielding School of Public Health, Department of Community Health Sciences, Los Angeles, CA.
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Prelip
mesh_terms: D002959:Civil Defense; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009111:Local Government; D015141:Los Angeles; D011635:Public Health Administration; D012574:Schools; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires