Emily Gould Monaghan, of the state public health preparedness program, updated the council on staffing and program timelines affecting tribal health preparedness.
Monaghan said a key plan reviewer (Star) is leaving state service, with her last day scheduled for Friday; the departure is "a great loss" to the program and staff asked that contacts be made via the plan section while transitions are arranged. She said the multi-casualty-incident (MCI) trailer decommissioning and transfer to three tribes is delayed; staff expect to begin outreach between February and March to coordinate deliveries.
Monaghan also previewed planning for the annual rural preparedness summit, tentatively scheduled for June 10–12, with a likely focus on behavioral health and a tribal keynote speaker. She invited input on session topics and tribal-specific trainings.
She reminded the council that flu season is approaching and asked jurisdictions to monitor respiratory virus activity and request assistance if local case counts increase. No formal action was taken; the item was provided for information and coordination.