BSDP-564
Medical Public Health Intelligence

This course introduces students to the rationale for the emerging role of the public health and medical communities in the intelligence gathering, analysis and dissemination process. 

Focusing on early detection of emerging physical threats and novel/emerging infectious diseases it will give the students the requisite knowledge and skills to provide the homeland security community with threat indications and warnings. 

Students will be given the analytical tools to allow them to gauge the impact of physical threats that would result in mass casualties and novel/emerging infectious diseases.  They will be expected to develop and recommend rational and viable courses of action to those threats.

Course Number: BSDP-564
Classification: Elective
Credits Earned: 3
Term Available: Fall/Spring
Faculty: Bill Stanhope

Course Description:

This introductory course is designed to expose the participants to the confluence of public health and intelligence and provide them with the ability to participate in and contribute to the intelligence process. The course assumes that participants come to it with an understanding of the public health mission related to recognition and management of diseases and events of public health consequence.

Simultaneously the course assumes that the student will have no prior understanding of the US intelligence apparatus or the process of intelligence collection, analysis and distribution.
Through a set of assigned readings, streaming videos, web based lectures and threaded discussions the student will be introduced to the structure, function, and limitations of US intelligence organizations. Assignments however, will place an emphasis on the evolving role and function of public health to the local intelligence fusion efforts. Through a set of regional case studies, the course will introduce students to the interconnectedness of geopolitical issues and events in global hotspots, which directly result in or contribute to threats to the safety and health of the country and its local communities.

The course will also expose the student to the intensity of the Militant Islamic movement’s quest to add chemical, biological, and radiological-nuclear agents to its armamentarium.
Weekly written assignments (Actionable Intelligence Briefs) will be used to demonstrate the utility and applicability of open source information to the public health component of the intelligence collection and analysis process as it relates to enhanced workforce protection and protection of the public’s health.

Competencies:

• Upon completion of the course, participants will have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to assume entry-level responsibilities as a Public Health and Medical Intelligence Officer at Intelligence Fusion Centers.
• Upon completion of the course, participants will have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to collaborate with the partnering public health agencies to provide epidemiologically based, disease-specific, actionable information and, incident specific guidance to all members of the intelligence fusion effort
• Upon completion of the course, participants will have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to provide advice, guidance, and policies that will enhance emergency responder workforce protection against the threat of emerging and novel infectious diseases and bioterrorism threats.

Course Objectives:

At the conclusion of this course a student will be able to:

• Compare and contrast the differences between information and intelligence.
• Clearly define the intelligence cycle and the steps that must be taken to accomplish any phase of the cycle.
• Compare and contrast the traditional intelligence cycle with Clark’s Target Centric Intelligence Model.
• Describe in detail the limits to and the inherent uncertainties associated with the intelligence process.
• Describe in detail the jurisdictional, legal, and psychological barriers to information sharing.
• Demonstrate proficiency in locating and collecting open source information to satisfy the requirements of an intelligence collection plan focused on a public health issue.
• Detail the DoD and DoJ classification systems and describe how their application may serve as unnecessary impediments to information sharing.
• Demonstrate the ability to communicate complex issues to the lowest possible classification level in order to facilitate information sharing.
• Demonstrate the ability to use open source information to provide epidemiologically based, disease-specific, actionable information to the intelligence fusion effort.
• Demonstrate the ability to use open source information to provide advice, guidance, and policies that will enhance emergency responder workforce protection against the threat of emerging and novel infectious diseases and bio-terrorism threats.

Course Format:

Directed readings, streaming videos, web based lectures and threaded discussions