“History is a set of lies agreed upon.”

Napoleon Bonaparte

A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization Almost 800 members from:

◦ State and local public health laboratories◦ State environmental and agricultural laboratories ◦ Federal agencies ◦ Academic institutions

Advocates at the national level for critical laboratory issues and for increased support and resources for member laboratories

Provides training and best practices for public health laboratory testing and policy

MissionTo promote the role of public health laboratories in shaping national and global health objectives, and to promote policies, programs, and technologies which assure continuous improvement in the quality of laboratory practice and health outcomes.

APHL: Broad Picture

APHL Board of Directors (BOD)

PHPR Committee

Working Groups1.LRN Joint Leadership Committee2.LRN Partners Workgroup Subcommittees

1.LRN Operational Workgroup2.Laboratory Preparedness Exercise Workgroup3.Preparedness Guidance and Performance Measures Subcommittee4.First Responder Partnerships and Outreach Subcommittee

Task Forces1.Testing Algorithm for Unknown Environmental Samples Task Force2.LRN National Meeting Planning Committee3.Emergency Management Taskforce

◦ Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

Division of Preparedness and Emerging Infections (DPEI) Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response (OPHPR)

Food and Drug Administration Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR)

◦ Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation

Hazardous Materials Science Response Unit (HMSRU) Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Sciences Unit (CBRNSU) Hazardous Materials Response Technical Unit Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate (WMDD)

◦ Department of Homeland Security Office of Health Affairs

Weapons of Mass Destruction and Biodefense Office/Early Detection Science and Technology Directorate

◦ Department of Defense◦ United States Department of Agriculture◦ Environmental Protection Agency

Participate in the Refinement and Development of Public Health Preparedness Guidance Documents and Performance Measures

Enhance and Maintain Sentinel Clinical Laboratory Partnerships and Outreach

Provide Technical Expertise to Enhance Laboratory Practice, Preparedness and Response

Develop and Promote Tools to Enhance Laboratory Preparedness, Planning and Response

Expand First Responder Partnerships and Outreach

Respond to and Help Shape Active and Proposed Legislation of Significance to Public Health Preparedness

Scientific Organizations◦ American Society of Microbiology ◦ American Association of Veterinary

Laboratory Diagnosticians Department of Health and Human

Services◦ Centers for Disease Control &

Prevention◦ Food and Drug Administration

Department of Justice◦ Federal Bureau of Investigation

Department of Homeland Security

Department of Defense Environmental Protection

Agency United States Army

Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases

United States Department of Agriculture

Environmental Protection Agency

Department of Agriculture Environmental Food Emergency Response

Network Environmental Laboratory

Response Network

A forum for partners to discuss operational items across multiple laboratory networks.

Composed of the original LRN founding partners:◦ APHL◦ CDC ◦ FBI

The LRN Joint Leadership Committee (JLC) was established in 2005 to discuss key planning and policy issues surrounding the LRN.  This body provides input and guidance to LRN leadership on operational and policy issues.