A new Issue Brief, Improving Preparedness Through Sharing Public Health and Homeland Security Information, published by the National Governors Association (NGA) in late December 2012, examines how “governors can improve how disparate state and local agencies work together to produce useful homeland security and public health information.” The brief concludes that, “By directing agency heads and encouraging local governments to develop an integrated approach to sharing information among public health agencies and homeland security agencies, states can greatly improve their situational awareness of emerging threat and disaster response.”

To improve information sharing and better protect the public, the brief recommends that governors can take the following actions:

• Promote a cross-agency culture of preparedness between homeland security and public health agencies;
• Direct agencies to coordinate pre­paredness and response capabilities for emer­gencies;
• Use state and local fusion centers to improve the sharing of public health and homeland security information;
• Take advantage of federal programs that fund efforts to coordinate public health and homeland security agencies; and
• Leverage cross-agency partnerships to support the state’s intelligence enterprise.

“States face shrinking federal preparedness grant programs that support the development of public health preparedness and fusion centers,” said NGA Executive Director Dan Crippen. “Governors are finding innovative ways to bring the two together to keep our citizens safe.”