Center for Disaster and Humanitarian Assistance Medicine

Col. Charles Beadling, Director

The Center for Disaster and Humanitarian Assistance Medicine is a university based venture whose mission is to advance the understanding and delivery of disaster medical care and humanitarian assistance worldwide. The uniquely positioned academic center is actively developing relationships between governmental agencies, non-governmental agencies, and private volunteer organizations as a means of improving relief efforts. The Center will assist in the development of and provide expertise in the following focus areas:
 
RESEARCH
 
Assistance with planning, development, and execution of multi-specialty research in the areas of disaster preparedness, assessment, surveillance, medical care, and recovery is available.
 
TRAINING
 
Training of disaster responders of all professional specialties is available. Curricula in the areas of disaster administration, field medical care, operational logistics, assessment, and surveillance can be developed for specific organizations and specialties.
 
CONSULTATION
 
Telephone and on-site consultation are available for organizations requiring timely expertise in all phases of disaster mitigation. Aid with response planning, vulnerability assessment, needs assessment, medical care, and epidemiological surveillance is available.
 
ON-SITE RESPONSE
 
The Center trains and maintains a cadre of experienced operational medical responders for on-site assessment, consultation for medical care, and technical assistance for agencies requesting such aid.
 
INFORMATICS
 
The Center serves as a clearinghouse for pertinent information related to all areas of disaster medicine and humanitarian assistance. Additionally, the Center maintains access to expertise in the field of telemedicine and medical informatics as it relates to the austere environment.
 
POLICY DEVELOPMENT
 
The Center will assist in the development of institutional policy with regards to disaster response, medical care, and humanitarian aid.
 
ACADEMIC RESOURCES
 
The Center's faculty members have extensive experience in all aspects of disaster mitigation. The diverse experiences extend over twenty-five years of disaster assessment and epidemiology to include the most recent international disasters. Involvement has included earthquake assessment in Peru in 1970, telemedicine consultation after the Armenian earthquake and technical assistance during the midwestern floods and the Los Angeles earthquake and the bombings of United States Embassies in Africa. Faculty members have also provided medical care to victims of recent domestic disasters. They have participated in the humanitarian assistance doctrine development for the Department of Defense and other federal agencies.
 
The Center for Disaster and Humanitarian Assistance Medicine is located in the Department of Military and Emergency Medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, School of Medicine. The University has unparalleled access to federal agencies and governmental organizations. The academic setting permits a multidisciplinary approach to the field of disaster mitigation. Access and collaboration with recognized experts in Emergency Medicine, Psychiatry, and Preventive Medicine is readily available. The Department of Military and Emergency Medicine is the U.S. military's expert in training medical providers in the area of operational and austere medicine.
 
JFCOM SPONSORED TRAINING WORKSHOPS
 
In 2001 and 2002, the CDHAM presented two training workshops under the sponsorship of the United States Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM), Norfolk, Virginia an integral part of their theatre engagement plan for humanitarian assistance activities. The workshops, Medical Preparedness and Planning For Manmade Disasters and Deployable Telemedicine, were part of the 59th and 60th United States Mexico Border Health Association (USMBHA) annual meetings.

Contact Information

Uniformed Services University
Main Office: C1039
4301 Jones Bridge Road
Bethesda, Maryland 20814
Phone (301) 295-3720
DSN: 295 3720
Toll Free: 888 826-3126
FAX (301) 295-6773

Resources

Programs

Medical Education


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www.cdham.org