Using Peer Support to Strengthen Foodborne Illness Surveillance and Outbreak Response Capacity

BACKGROUND: Foodborne diseases cause approximately 48 million illnesses, 128,000 hospitalizations, and 3,000 deaths in the United States annually. Limited resources can negatively impact outbreak investigation and response capacity in state and local health departments. To help address this concern, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) required that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) designate Integrated Food Safety Centers of Excellence (CoEs) at state health departments in partnership with academic institutions. The CoEs were tasked with assisting public health professionals in jurisdictions other that their own, in investigating and responding to foodborne illnesses and outbreaks.

METHODS: Through their health department/academic institution partnerships, the CoEs provide peer support by developing educational materials, delivering trainings, and providing consultation services. Activities of the CoEs include:

• Strengthening foodborne illness surveillance and outbreak investigations in other jurisdictions
• Improving capacity of information systems
• Evaluating and analyzing the timeliness and effectiveness of foodborne illness surveillance and outbreak response
• Performing evaluation, quality improvement, and data analysis projects
• Training and educating students and public health personnel in laboratory epidemiological, and environmental investigation of foodborne illness

RESULTS: Since their establishment, the 6 CoEs established by CDC have addressed FSMA requirements by developing online tools and providing direct support to multiple state and local health departments. The CoEs have developed over 100 online products that are available free of charge for immediate use at CoEFoodSafetyTools.org. CoEs have also provided one-on-one assistance to a number of state and local health departments, including mentorship of 18 states recently funded under the OutbreakNet Enhanced Program.

CONCLUSIONS: The CoEs substantially strengthen the ability of local, state, and federal public health agencies to respond to threats of foodborne illness. They provide specialized evidence-based expertise and assistance to support implementation of strategies that improve foodborne illness surveillance and outbreak investigation practices. The guidance, tools, and assistance provided by the CoEs have helped many jurisdictions improve their foodborne illness surveillance and response capacity. The CoE website allows local, state, and federal public health professionals immediate access to tools for a variety of topics from questionnaire templates to just-in-time trainings. Capacity has been created to provide assistance that can be in the form of consultation for long-term projects (e.g. data system improvements) or more urgent consultation during ongoing outbreaks.