Table 6.

State activities, partnerships, and protocols that were developed using resources provided by HABISS. URL links to websites and materials are provided when available.

State Entity that Received Funding from HABISS	Activities, Partnerships, and Protocols Supported by HABISS
Florida Department of Health (FDOH)	•Supplemented ongoing public health surveillance (i.e., reportable conditions using a system called MERLIN, foodborne disease surveillance, and events identified through the Poison Information Center) via the Aquatic Toxins Disease Prevention Program (ATDPP). Case reports and complaints associated with exposure to cyanobacteria blooms and reports of respiratory illnesses associated with exposures to airborne brevetoxins during Florida red tide events were recorded in HABISS. •Used the Electronic Surveillance System for Early Notification of Community Epidemics (ESSENCE) to provide early warning of cyanobacteria- and algae-related illness outbreaks, rapidly detect and report cyanobacteria and algae blooms, and identify bloom events with potential public health significance. •Made information available on website: http://www.floridahealth.gov/environmental-health/aquatic-toxins/index.html.
Iowa: Harmful Algal Bloom Program, Iowa Department of Public Health (IHAB)	•Implemented a cyanobacteria bloom advisory for Iowa during the 2011 monitoring season, and the IDPH temporarily designated suspected or confirmed exposures to microcystins as a reportable condition. The designation will continue to be used during future bloom seasons. •In 2010, collaborated with IDNR to launch an improved version of their interactive mapping application to allow visitors to the site to view current swimming advisories and water quality information, including the most recent sample analyzed for microcystins, for state park beaches. The website allows the public to contact IDPH with questions about beach water quality and to report a bloom or suspected bloom exposure.
Massachusetts Bureau of Health, Massachusetts Department of Public Health BEH/MDPH	•Used active surveillance to improve bloom-related symptom and illness reporting. •Provided bloom data that served as guidance for local health officials, other government officials, and community members to address health concerns related to blooms. For example, during the 2009 and 2010 bloom seasons, BEH used HABISS data to support issuing 23 and 24 health advisories, respectively, for public recreational waters affected by cyanobacteria blooms.
Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene MDHMH)	•Expanded a web-based bloom outreach program to health care professionals through a series of Grand Rounds. •Linked monitoring data with the MD Healthy Beaches program as part of risk communication and public outreach efforts.
New York State Department of Health	•Conducted outreach activities to expand knowledge and awareness of harmful cyanobacteria and algae blooms. •http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/64824.html •http://www.nyhealth.gov/environmental/water/drinking/bluegreenalgae.htm •Provided park rangers, lifeguards, and victims of cyanobacteria exposures information, fact sheets, water sampling and analysis, and guidance for bloom response. •Collaborated with the Citizen Statewide Lake Assessment Program, a citizen-based monitoring program run by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and the NYS Federation of Lake Associations.
North Carolina	•Provided information on website: http://epi.publichealth.nc.gov/oee/a_z/algae.html
Oregon: Oregon Harmful Algae Bloom Surveillance Program, Oregon Health Authority (OR-HABS)	•Improved the quality of information provided to various audiences and to better respond to requests for guidance in developing policy and responding to events. •http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/hab/index.html •Collaborated with the state Drinking Water Program to develop a HAB Communications Plan for public water systems, and other program partners and stakeholders to develop permanent HAB advisory signage that can provide general HAB messages to the public as well as cautionary messages related to specific HABs.
Virginia Department of Health (VDOH)	•Supported a website with outreach and education materials: •http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/epidemiology/DEE/HABS/ •Created the VDOH Algal Bloom Monitoring Network that is active during the summer and fall. The network covers 44 recreational beaches and 60 shellfish harvesting sites; and responds to fish kills and request for water sample analysis.
Washington State Department of Health (WSDOH)	•Collaborated with Washington State Department of Ecology and local health jurisdictions to provide resources and technical assistance for Washington’s passive Harmful Algae Bloom (HAB) surveillance system. •http://www.doh.wa.gov/CommunityandEnvironment/Contaminants/BlueGreenAlgae •http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/plants/algae/monitoring/index.html •Strengthened its work on the Regional Examination of Harmful Algae Blooms (REHAB) which involves the monitoring of 30 lakes in three Washington counties through the active bloom months of June-October. Developed public access to cyanotoxin data: •https://www.nwtoxicalgae.org/ •Developed recreational guidance values for microcystins, anatoxin-a, cylindrospermopsins and saxitoxins which are incorporated into a protocol for local health jurisdictions, lake managers, and other agencies to follow in the case of toxic blooms.
Wisconsin Department of Health Services (WI DOHS)	•Collected and disseminated harmful algae-related illness data and environmental data. Specifically, resources supported the redesign of an interactive website that citizens and local health departments can use to report human or animal illnesses related to algal blooms in Wisconsin. This has resulted in the investigation of 102 human illness reports, and nine animal illness reports to date. •http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/eh/bluegreenalgae •Conducted active surveillance using an interactive website through a partnership with Poison Control Centers.