CDC Climate and Health Program: Climate-Ready States and Cities Initiative (CRSCI)

Learning Objectives:

• To provide an overview of the CDC Building Resilience Against Climate Effects (BRACE) Framework • To learn about the CDC Climate-Ready States and Cities Initiative (CRSCI). • To highlight CDC funded state and local programs funded to implement BRACE As evidenced by the Third National Climate Assessment (NCA), the world's climate is becoming warmer, increasing the potential for extreme weather events around the world. Stronger tropical cyclones, longer and more intense heat waves, more frequent and severe droughts, heavier and more frequent precipitation events, flooding, sea level increases, and additional air pollution are some of the potential consequences of the climate becoming warmer. Due to Increased recognition that there is a need to prepare for the health impacts of climate change, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to establish a climate and health public health framework to address climate change impacts on public health and safety. The CDC formally established its Climate and Health Program in 2009. The CDC is helping states and cities to develop ways to anticipate the health effects of climate change by applying climate science, predicting health impacts, and developing adaptation plans through implementation of the Building Resilience against Climate Effects (BRACE) framework. The BRACE framework is a five-step process that supports state and local health departments to become “climate-ready”. Through its Climate Ready States and Cities Initiative (CRSCI), the CDC is currently supporting 18 jurisdictions to utilize the BRACE framework to promote and facilitate community resilience and adaptation planning. This presentation will provide an overview of the BRACE framework, a description of the corresponding evaluation plan, and highlight health department programs.