NSPS Level 2 Special Pathogen Treatment and Network Development (STAND) Award

Congratulations to all the healthcare facilities selected to receive funding through the National Special Pathogen System (NSPS) Level 2 Special Pathogen Treatment and Network Development (STAND) Award, funded by the Health & Human Services Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR). The initiative expands the network of Level 2 Special Pathogen Treatment Centers (SPTCs), strengthening the nation’s ability to safely care for patients with high-consequence infectious diseases (HCIDs).

Each selected facility will receive up to $500,000 to support infrastructure enhancements, advanced workforce training, and specialized equipment required to meet NSPS Level 2 SPTC standards. The facilities will work collaboratively with NETEC, their Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Centers (RESPTCs), public health leaders, emergency medical services, and other partners to strengthen preparedness, expand access to specialized care for HCID patients, and enhance regional surge capacity.

74 STAND Award Recipients

HHS Region 1

Boston Children’s Hospital (Boston, Massachusetts)
Boston Medical Center (Boston, Massachusetts)
Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (Lebanon, New Hampshire)
Hartford Hospital (Hartford, Connecticut)
MaineHealth Maine Medical Center Portland (Portland, Maine)
Yale New Haven Hospital, Inc. (New Haven, Connecticut)

HHS Region 2

Administración de Servicios Médicos de Puerto Rico (San Juan, Puerto Rico)
Cooper University Hospital (Camden, New Jersey)
Good Samaritan University Hospital (West Islip, New York)
Hospital Universitario Dr. Ramón Ruiz Arnau (HURRA) (Bayamon, Puerto Rico)
NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst (Elmhurst, New York)
NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem (New York, New York)
NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi (Bronx, New York)
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (New Brunswick, New Jersey)
Samaritan Hospital (Troy, New York)
Saratoga Hospital (Saratoga Springs, New York)
Schneider Regional Medical Center (St. Thomas, Virgin Islands)
St. Joseph’s University Medical Center (Paterson, New Jersey)
St. Peter’s Hospital (Albany, New York)
Stony Brook University Hospital (Stony Brook, New York)
University of Rochester (Rochester, New York)

HHS Region 3

Allegheny General Hospital (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Geisinger Clinic Medical Center (Danville, Pennsylvania)
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Penn State Hershey Medical Center (Hershey, Pennsylvania)
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
TidalHealth Peninsula Regional (Salisbury, Maryland)
UVA Health Medical Center (Charlottesville, Virginia)
Virginia Commonwealth University Health Systems (Richmond, Virginia)
West Virginia University Hospitals (Morgantown, West Virginia)
Wilmington Hospital ChristianaCare Health System (Wilmington, Delaware)

HHS Region 4

Grady Health System (Atlanta, Georgia)
Johnson City Medical Center (Johnson City, Tennessee)
Medical University of South Carolina-Health (Charleston, South Carolina)
Piedmont Columbus Midtown Hospital (Columbus, Georgia)
St. Elizabeth Medical Center, Inc. (Edgewood, Kentucky)
The University of Kentucky Healthcare – Chandler Hospital (Lexington, Kentucky)

HHS Region 5

Advocate Sherman Hospital (Elgin, Illinois)
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago (Chicago, Illinois)
Indiana University Health: IU Health Methodist Hospital (Indianapolis, Indiana)
Nationwide Children’s Hospital (Columbus, Ohio)
Rush University Medical Center (Chicago, Illinois)
University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics (Madison, Wisconsin)

HHS Region 6

Dallas County Hospital District D/B/A Parkland Health (Dallas, Texas)
Texas Children’s Hospital (Houston, Texas)
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (Little Rock, Arkansas)
University of New Mexico Hospital (Albuquerque, New Mexico)

HHS Region 7

Children’s Mercy Kansas City (Kansas City, Missouri)
Children’s Nebraska (Omaha, Nebraska)
University of Iowa Health Care (Iowa City, Iowa)

HHS Region 8

Providence St. Patrick Hospital (Missoula, Montana)
Sanford Fargo Medical Center (Fargo, North Dakota)

HHS Region 9

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (Los Angeles, California)
Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation (Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands)
Guam Memorial Hospital (Tamuning, Guam)
HonorHealth John C. Lincoln Medical Center (Phoenix, Arizona)
Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center (Los Angeles, California)
Kern Medical (Bakersfield, California)
LBJ Tropical Medical Center (Pago Pago, American Samoa)
Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego (San Diego, California)
Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center (Chula Vista, California)
Sharp Coronado Hospital and Healthcare Center (Coronado, California)
Sharp Grossmont Hospital (La Mesa, California)
Sharp Memorial Hospital (San Diego, California)
Tucson Medical Center (Tucson, Arizona)
UCLA Health, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center (Los Angeles, California)
University of California Davis Health System (Sacramento, California)

HHS Region 10

Harborview Medical Center (Seattle, Washington)
Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center (Portland, Oregon)
Providence Health and Services Washington dba Providence Alaska Medical Center (Anchorage, Alaska)
Seattle Children’s Hospital (Seattle, Washington)

Purpose 

The NSPS STAND Award will enhance national preparedness and surge capacity for special pathogens by strengthening the NSPS Level 2 network through training, infrastructure, workforce development, and operational readiness in the care of patients with a special pathogen. 

Why Participate? 

Participating in the STAND Award program may enable your facility to: 

Strengthen institutional and regional preparedness and readiness 
Gain national visibility as a special pathogen leader 
Access NETEC training, consultation, and technical support 
Become part of a Community of Practice with other national leaders in HCID response

Role of NSPS Level 2 Facilities 

Awarded facilities are expected to: 

Work toward achieving or maintaining NSPS Level 2 minimum capabilities with support from NETEC and the RESPTCs through assessments, training, and technical assistance
Deliver safe, specialized care for patients with HCIDs for the duration of their illness 
Accept patients from within their HHS region and, when requested, from outside their jurisdiction or outside the U.S. 
Serve as an expert resource during regional or national surge events
Partner with Level 1 facilities and other healthcare partners in their region 
Participate in a national Community of Practice focused on special pathogen preparedness and response
Maintain a trained workforce and readiness program, including personal protective equipment (PPE) preparedness
Demonstrate the capability to care for 1-2 viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) patients and at least 4 airborne pathogen patients
Maintain a minimum of four airborne infection isolation rooms (AIIRs) with negative pressure capability
Participate in NETEC-led assessments, training, exercises, and continuous readiness activities

Operational Expectations

Facilities do not need to meet all NSPS Level 2 minimum capabilities at the time of application. Applicants should describe how they will achieve or strengthen these capabilities during the award period. For a complete description of NSPS Level 2 expectations, review the NSPS Level 2 Capabilities Document.

Award funding may be used to support the development or enhancement of Level 2 capabilities, including workforce training, equipment, preparedness activities, and operational readiness improvements.

Awardees are expected to make substantial progress toward operational readiness during the performance period and participate in NETEC-led assessments, training, and technical assistance activities.

Awardees are expected to complete 46 Standardized Cases, which are structured preparedness activities designed to help support facilities in assessing, documenting, and demonstrating specific operational capabilities needed required to safely manage patients with suspected or confirmed high-consequence infectious diseases (HCIDs).

Applicants should also describe how they plan to sustain Level 2 capabilities beyond the award period, as sustainability will be considered during the application review process.