[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 117 (Wednesday, June 18, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33081-33082]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-15840]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of the Secretary


Office of Public Health and Science; Office of Emergency 
Preparedness; Statement of Organization, Functions and Delegations of 
Authority

    Part A (Office of the Secretary), of the Statement of Organization, 
Functions, and Delegations of Authority for the Department of Health 
and Human Services (DHHS), Chapter AC, Office of Public Health and 
Science as last amended at 62 FR 5009, dated February 3, 1997; and the 
Office of Emergency Preparedness (ACK), as last amended at 60 FR 56605-
06, dated November 9, 1995, and previously amended at 58 FR 58871, 
dated November 4, 1993, is being amended to realign OEP functions. The 
realignment is to reflect OEP's additional responsibilities in dealing 
with the health and medical consequences of terrorist incidents, in 
particular incidents involving Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), and 
of providing assistance to the National Transportation Safety Board. 
The changes are as follows:
    A. Under the Office of Public Health and Science, Section AC.20 
Functions, insert Paragraph I, ``Office of Emergency Preparedness,'' as 
follows:
    I. Office of Emergency Preparedness (ACK)--The Office of Emergency 
Preparedness is headed by a Director who reports to the Assistant 
Secretary for Health (ASH) and serves as the principal advisor to the 
Secretary and the ASH for emergency actions. The OEP develops national 
plans and programs and executes necessary actions to assure that 
headquarters and regional organizations of DHHS are prepared to perform 
essential functions during major disasters. It also provides central 
emergency preparedness policy, coordination, guidance, and assistance 
to DHHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVS), Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVS) and 
Regional staffs; and directs, coordinates, and monitors the performance 
of head of DHHS OPDIVS, STAFFDIVS, and Regional Staffs in carrying out 
assigned emergency preparedness responsibilities. In addition, OEP 
provides the necessary leadership and coordinates activities for 
emergency preparedness matters internal to the Office of the 
Secretary's components; provides staff support to the ASH in the 
accomplishment of emergency preparedness responsibilities; represents 
the DHHS in working closely with the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency and other Federal

[[Page 33082]]

departments and agencies; and acts as the lead Federal agency for 
Emergency Support Function #8 within the Federal Response Plan. In 
these roles, OEP maintains the operational readiness required for 
timely and effective response to Federal, State, and local government 
requests for social services, health and medical assistance following 
major disasters or terrorist incidents.
    1. The Division of Program Development (ACK1)--The Division of 
Program Development is responsible for developing the planning and 
implementation processes to improve local response capabilities and the 
integration of national and local response resources. Key functions 
include the development of Metropolitan Medical Strike Teams; systems 
revising DHHS emergency plans to assure consistency with Continuity of 
Government and Continuity of Operations plans; managing program 
development activities with the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, and the 
Food and Drug Administration and other OPDIVS to develop technical 
support systems to deal with the consequences of WMD terrorist events; 
and working with the National Academy of Sciences and other outside 
groups to formulate a technology development strategy to enhance the 
efficacy and effectiveness of responses to WMD incidents.
    2. The Division of Emergency Readiness and Operations (ACK2)--The 
Division of Emergency Readiness and Operations (DERO) is responsible 
for improving the range of emergency response capabilities and for 
assuring emergency response readiness. To accomplish these tasks, DERO 
supports the interdepartmental National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) 
Senior Policy Group, Directorate, and Directorate Staff; coordinates 
the NDMS Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMATs) and provides 
administrative support to DMAT personnel; manages the Rockville 
Emergency Operations Center during emergencies; develops national WMD 
response capable DMATs; improves the communications infrastructure to 
support DMAT deployment; works with the Department of Veterans Affairs 
to assure appropriate pharmaceutical availability, especially for WMD 
incidents; and establishes Medical Support Units at the site of 
emergencies.
    3. The Division of Administration and Support (ACK3)--The Division 
of Administration and Support (DAS) is responsible for OEP budget 
execution and formulation, personnel, procurement, as well as other 
administrative activities. To accomplish these tasks, DAS works with 
the OEP Director and the OEP Division Directors to develop solutions to 
administrative related problems and to develop more effective and 
efficient administrative support for accomplishing OEP priorities. DAS 
also provides staff support for the OEP Director in coordinating cross-
cutting activities, such as, the management of Regional Emergency 
Coordinator Work Plans and Regional Advice of Allowance.

    Dated: June 9, 1997.
John J. Callahan,
Assistant Secretary for Management and Budget.
[FR Doc. 97-15840 Filed 6-17-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-04-M