Attachment 11

Laboratory Training Programs for Local Health Departments

  • Internet Training for LRN Sentinel LaboratoryProcedures, Lab Safety, Packaging and Shipping:CDPH, with assistance from National Laboratory Training Network (NLTN), has developed an internet-accessible, interactive training program with Continuing Education Units (CEU) credits intended for public health and clinical sentinel laboratory training. It may be found at Trainees may start the first of every month and have 30 days to complete the training. Centralized statistics are collected and the data will be forwardedsemi-annually to CDC as part of the mid-year and end of year progress reports. The website is bttrain.learn.com
  • Taming the Wild Zebra CDPH has developed a 2-day cross-training course and workshop with multi-agency CEU credits for first-responders and laboratory personnel. This course covers critical issues surrounding specimen collection in the field, transport to an LRN Reference laboratory, personal protection, interagency coordination, etc. Please contact Kathryn Hansen at to arrange training.
  • Public Health Microbiologist Training Stipends Funds have been allocated to provide 13 training stipends of $30,000 each to support Public Health Microbiologist trainees. LHDs wishing to apply for one or more stipends should list the training positions in their personnel budgets; Funds will only be awarded after the applicant laboratory submits the name of a trainee approved for training by CDPH Laboratory Field Services (LFS), a copy of each trainee’s LFS approval letter and a training plan meeting LFS requirements with a start date no later than mid-February 2011and a training completion date no later than August 9, 2011. Training stipends may be used to support a trainee and assist in providing supplies and materials used for training. Awards will not be made unless all conditions cited above have been met; funds are awarded first-come-first-served.
  • Laboratory Consortium Training Assistance Awards for Sentinel Public Health Laboratories. Six training assistance awards of $15,500 each have been set aside to assist Sentinel public health laboratories that are approved for Public Health Microbiologist training and wish to form a consortium with one or more partner training laboratories. To qualify, each participating laboratory must have applied for and received at least one Public Health Microbiologist training stipend and provide a letter of support from each participating laboratory in the consortium. The PHEP grant may be used to assist with costs for a part-time trainer, or a person to back-fill while a regular staff member is conducting training and for training materials and supplies needed. Awards will not be released until all conditions cited above have been met; funds are awarded first-come-first-served.