The Center for Public Health Preparedness at the DeKalb County Board of Health was established in 1999 as one of three Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-funded national Health Alert Network/Training Exemplar Projects. In 2003, the Center was selected by the National Association of County and City Health Officials to receive a grant to continue our work as an Advanced Practice Center for bioterrorism preparedness. The Center is responsible for the development, implementation, and dissemination of innovative tools, technology, and training nationally - being particularly responsive to the needs of our public health region.

Staff of the Center includes physicians, biostatisticians, epidemiologists, nurses, support staff, and environmental health professionals, as well as training and communication specialists and public health professionals.

The DeKalb County Board of Health, serving nearly 700,000 people in metropolitan Atlanta, provides public health leadership for the Center. DeKalb County is the most ethnically diverse county in the southeastern United States.