Preparedness Planning and Training Resources

APHL promotes the critical role of public health laboratories in detecting and responding to all health emergencies. It sponsors training to increase the competency of laboratory staff, advocates for resources to sustain key programs and build partnerships for a stronger public health system. Our goal is to ensure a nationwide network of safe, state-of-the-art facilities capable of effective emergency response to all hazards and staffed with personnel trained in leading-edge methodologies.

• Definition of Sentinel Clinical Laboratories
• APHL Biothreat Identification Bench Cards & Poster
• Clinical Laboratory Preparedness and Response Guide (Blue Book)
• APHL and ASM Interim Guidance: Addition of Bacillus cereus biovar anthracis as a Tier 1 Select Agent
• Sentinel Clinical Laboratory Certificates:
  • Facility
  • Participant
• Guidelines for Safe Work Practices in Human and Animal Medical Diagnostic Laboratories
• Decontamination of Select Agents Isolated in the Clinical Laboratory
• Clinical Laboratory Risk Management Assessment
• Handling a Specimen Suspected of Containing a High Consequence Pathogen: A Checklist for Clinical Laboratories

• Algorithm and Guidelines for Responding to an Incident Involving a Suspicious Non-Clinical Sample
• Partners in Preparedness and Response: Connecting Laboratories and the First Responder Community
• Field Device Use by First Responders: Issues and Solutions
• Framework Checklist for Public Health Laboratory Outreach to First Responder Communities