The Trust for America's Health conducted its 10th annual national survey and found 35 states were prepared in 6 of 10 key indicators or fewer, according to information released by the Trust.

The report found that while there has been significant progress toward improving public health preparedness over the past 10 years, particularly in core capabilities, there continue to be persistent gaps in the country's ability to respond to health emergencies, ranging from bioterrorist threats to serious disease outbreaks to extreme weather events.

Read the report attached to this post and see the press release announcing the report. Find a wealth of varied information at the South Dakota Department of Health website.

South Dakota received positive scores for the following indicators:

• Response Readiness: The state was able to notify and immediately assemble (within the goal time of 60 minutes) public health staff to ensure a quick response to an incident in 2011.

• Infectious Disease Control: The state requires Medicaid to cover flu shots with no copays for beneficiaries younger than 65.

• Health System Preparedness: The state participates in a Nurse Licensure Compact.

• Public Health Laboratories Staffing and Surge Capacity: The state public health laboratory reports having enough staffing capacity to work five, 12-hour days for six to eight weeks in response to an infectious disease outbreak, such as a novel influenza A H1N1, from Aug. 10, 2011, to Aug. 9, 2012.

• Public Health Laboratories, Chemical Threat Preparedness: The state public health laboratory reports having increased or maintained its Laboratory Response Network for Chemical Threats (LRN-C) chemical capability from Aug. 10, 2011, to Aug. 9, 2012.

South Dakota received negative scores for the following indicators:

• Funding Commitment: The state did not maintain or increase funding for public health programs from fiscal year 2010-2011 to fiscal year 2011-12.

• Infectious Disease Control and Vaccinations: The state did not meet the U.S. Heath and Human Services goal of vaccinating 90 percent of 19- to 35-month-olds against whooping cough.

• Extreme Weather Event Preparedness: The state does not currently have a complete climate change adaptation plan.

• Community Resiliency: The state does not mandate all licensed child-care facilities to have a multi-hazard written evacuation and relocation plan.

• Emergency Management: The state has not been accredited by the Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP).