RESEARCH PLAN
The CDHAM proposal is for a variety of projects to advance the utilization of defined, specific methodologies in operational humanitarian assistance/disaster response (HA/DR) settings and permit continued organization and access of information obtained from HA/DR settings. The proposal is consistent with the intent of the congressional earmark that CDHAM has received since it was originally conceived in 1999, as described below.


Specific Aims:

Since 1999, the Senate Appropriations Committee has provided earmarked congressional funding to the Center for Disaster and Humanitarian Assistance Medicine (CDHAM), a subordinate element of the Department of Military and Emergency Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) in Bethesda, MD.

Funding is provided to conduct global research and studies in the broad areas of disaster and humanitarian assistance medicine ranging across such topics as current medical and management practices, related needs for innovative education and training, and the exploration of new applications for emerging information management and medical informatics technology in humanitarian assistance/disaster response (HA/DR) settings. This is viewed in the context of cooperation, collaboration, and integration between civilian and military organizations participating in this assistance, with the goal of improving civil- military integration and performance. The overarching congressional intent is to advance military medicine in disaster (both natural and man-made, and including CBRNE terrorism) and humanitarian assistance operations in the domestic and international arena.

Core activities include the administration, strategic planning, marketing, project development, and pursuit of new extramural projects. The CDHAM Director, Deputy Director, and Finance and Administration Officer spend a considerable proportion of their time working in these areas. The specific aims of the Administrative Core are profiled below.


Aim 1: Provide administrative services to CDHAM investigators.

Administrative duties include recruitment and hiring of CDHAM staff, documentation and submission of pay and leave timecards, budget development and analysis. The administrative core also ensure that the CDHAM office remains operational through supply management, filing, memo development and communication of policy and guidance originating from USUHS and HJF. Clear lines of scientific and administrative communication will be established to facilitate collaboration, aid in the prioritization of projects, and resolve conflict.


Aim 2: Provide financial accountability and budget analysis to USUHS and HJF

Administratively, this group ensures that full financial accountability to the HJF and USUHS is maintained. As such, budgets will be developed, expenditures fully documented by a real-time tracking system, and meetings with HJF and USUHS financial officers will be scheduled on a regular basis.


Aim 3: Perform strategic plans for CDHAM.

This group also performs strategic planning which ensures that the earmarked and extramural funding is devoted to projects that fulfill the intent of Congress and have current and future relevance to the military. As such, there is required a full and current understanding of military medicine, technology, and humanitarian assistance/disaster response. Staff time for this activity is devoted to the attendance of conferences, seminars, meetings, and participation on related workgroups at the federal level.


Aim 4: Develop a marketing plan for CDHAM

The business plan (marketing) for CDHAM is multifaceted. The CDHAM web site is used to showcase the CDHAM to a large potential audience. Keeping it user-friendly and interesting occupies a level of commitment. CDHAM personnel also make presentations at professional meetings and publish in the HA/DR and military medicine literature, as well as professional calls to leaders of governmental, academic, and non-governmental organizations that are active in HA/DR programs, looking for mutually beneficial collaborations. The CDHAM leadership spends considerable time in developing new (intramural and extramural) projects and working with partners to obtain extramural funding for additional projects. Much of this activity is accomplished during the staff’s attendance at professional meetings and conferences.


Aim 5: Organize an annual Scientific Advisory Board meeting.

The Scientific Advisory Board shall review all investigatory findings and outcomes, help prioritize scholarly activities, and evaluate concepts that emerge from the studies.


Aim 6: Participate in HA/DR educational activities at USUHS

CDHAM personnel actively participate in the USUHS education activities in the School of Medicine, School of Nursing, and Graduate School. The University’s expertise in HA/DR resides largely at CDHAM and since this area of medicine has become an important part of military medicine, CDHAM faculty have become increasingly in demand to teach.