2. a. No later than 180 days after the effective date of this act, the Department of Health shall, in consultation with the Emergency Medical Services Task Force and the Office of Emergency Management in the New Jersey Division of State Police, institute a regional medical coordination center model for disaster response to facilitate regional capacity coordination and communication across county and local boards of health, hospitals, long-term care facilities, emergency medical services providers and other first responders, and entities providing medical transportation services, in the event of a public health emergency involving an outbreak, epidemic, or pandemic involving an infectious disease. At a minimum, the model shall include a system for engaging the Level 1 trauma center in the region with long-term care facilities, federally qualified healthcare centers, home health agencies, hospice providers, medical transportation providers, emergency medical services providers and other first responders, and entities providing medical transportation services in its associated region. The Regional Level 1 Trauma Center and its associated regional medical coordination center shall make available their various clinical and non-clinical content experts and services are available for consultation and support to facilitate the implementation of evidence-based best practices and informed decision making.

b. The department shall identify appropriate sources of State, federal, and private funding to facilitate the implementation of this section, including, but not limited to, any funding or other support as may be available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

L.2020, c.87, s.2.