[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 189 (Monday, September 30, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61341-61343]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-24747]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of the Secretary


Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation; 
Statement of Organization, Functions and Delegations of Authority

    Part A (Office of the Secretary), Statement of Organization, 
Functions, and Delegations of Authority of the Department of Health and 
Human Services (HHS) is being amended at Chapter AE, Office of the 
Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), as last amended 
at 66 FR 2429 on January 11, 2001. This reorganization is to realign 
the functions of ASPE to reflect the current structure and areas of 
focus. The changes are as follows:

1. Delete Chapter AE, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning 
and Evaluation, in Its Entirety And Replace With the Following

Section AE.00 Mission

    The Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation is the 
principal advisor to the Secretary on policy development and provides 
coordination and support for the Department's strategic and policy 
planning, planning and development of legislation, program evaluation, 
data gathering, policy-related research, and the Department's 
regulatory program.
    The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation 
advises the Secretary on policy issues associated with health, human 
services, disability, aging, long-term care, science policy, data 
resources, and other matters, such as economic policy. ASPE leads 
special initiatives on behalf of the Secretary; provides direction for, 
and coordinates, the Department's policy research, evaluation and data 
gathering and related analyses; and manages cross-Department 
activities, such as strategic and legislation planning. Integral to 
this role, ASPE develops policy analyses--both short and long-term--and 
related initiatives, conducts policy research and evaluation studies, 
and reviews and estimates the costs and benefits of policies (including 
regulations) and programs under consideration by the Department, 
Congress and others. ASPE works with other HHS Assistant Secretaries 
and agency heads on these matters.

Section AE.10 Organization

    The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation 
consists of the following components:

A. Immediate Office (AE).
B. Office of Health Policy (AEH).

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C. Office of Human Services Policy (AES).
D. Office of Disability, Aging and Long-Term Care Policy (AEW).
E. Office of Science and Data Policy (AEJ).

Section AE.20 Functions

A. The Immediate Office (AE)
    The Immediate Office (IO) of the Assistant Secretary for Planning 
and Evaluation provides executive direction, leadership, guidance and 
support to ASPE components. The IO develops and guides implementation 
of the Department's strategic plan, the development of the Department's 
legislative and regulatory agenda in coordination with the Office of 
the Assistant Secretary for Legislation and the Office of the Executive 
Secretary, respectively, and the planning and coordination of policy-
related research and evaluation across the Department. Research and 
evaluation planning and coordination for the Department is accomplished 
by the Department's Research Coordination Council, chaired by the ASPE. 
The Council is a planning and coordinating body of representatives from 
the Department's operating divisions and other offices conducting 
research, with support within ASPE by a staff group drawn from ASPE 
offices. The IO manages planning and implementation of ASPE budgets, 
evaluation and policy research agendas, workforce plans, executive 
correspondence, regulation review, and internal control procedures. The 
IO also provides information support services for ASPE and access by 
the public to information about ASPE and the Department's evaluation 
and policy research studies.
B. The Office of Health Policy (AEH)
    The Office of Health Policy (HP) is responsible for policy 
development and coordination and for the conduct and coordination of 
research, evaluation, and data, on matters relating to health systems, 
services, and financing. Functions include policy and long-range 
planning; policy, economic, program and budget analysis; review of 
regulations and development of legislation. Health policy matters 
includes public health, health services and systems, health insurance, 
health care financing, health care quality, consumer health information 
in the public and private sectors, and the interaction among these 
matters and sectors.
    HP is responsible for developing and coordinating a health policy 
research, information, and analytical program to gain information 
concerning health services, systems and financing, and for providing 
support tot he ASPE immediate Office for the Department's Research 
Coordination Council. The Office works closely with other ASPE and HHS 
offices on these matters, coordinates and shares information across 
Federal agencies, and collaborates with the health policy and service 
reserach community.
    HP works closely with the Department's Centers for Medicare and 
Medicaid Services, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the 
Health Resources and Services Administration, the Substance Abuse and 
Mental Health Services Administration, the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention, and other HHS agencies. Within ASPE, the office 
coordinates closely with Office of Disability, Aging and Long-Term Care 
Policy on matters concerning persons with disabilities and the elderly, 
in particular those related to the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
    1. The Division of Health Financing Policy (AEH1) is responsible 
for policies and functions of the office concerning health care 
financing and health care costs, principally Federal health care 
financing related to the Department's Medicare program, including 
matters concerning structural changes and modernization for the long-
term, such as drug benefits, coverage and eligibility, new technology, 
and payments for services.
    2. The Division of Public Health Systems (AEH2) is responsible for 
the functions of the office related to public health programs and 
policies. The division conducts analysis, studies and develops policies 
concerning such matters as: the public health system; the design and 
effectiveness of health promotion, disease prevention, and disease 
control activities undertaken by both the public and private sectors; 
the interaction between the medical services delivery system and 
population-based public health services; and the structure, function, 
capacity, practices, and interaction of public health entitles at all 
levels of government.
    3. The Division of Health Care For Low Income Populations (AEH3) 
focuses on the financing an delivery of health care services for the 
low-income population without private health insurance. The division is 
responsible for the functions of the office with respect to the 
Medicaid program, the State Children's Health Insurance Program, and 
other policies and programs to help low income individuals and families 
have access to health care. This includes development of policies and 
mechanisms that integrate the financing and delivery of health care to 
this population. This division will collaborate with Health Care 
Financing on issues effecting populations who are dually eligible for 
Medicare and Medicaid and other cross-cutting areas.
    4. The Division of Health Care Delivery Systems (AEH4) is 
responsible for functions related to health services, health 
organizations and health care delivery systems. The division's focus 
includes consumer information such as patient's bill of rights, 
incentives for private health insurance and health care, matters 
concerning the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, 
health care organization, and the interaction between public and 
private health care and insurance.
C. The Office of Human Services Policy (AES)
    The Office of Human Services Policy (HSP) is responsible for policy 
development and coordination, and for the conduct and coordination of 
research, evaluation, and data on matters relating to poverty, cash and 
non-cash support for low-income working and non-working families, 
welfare-to-work strategies, and services for families, children, and 
youth. Functions include policy and long-range planning; policy, 
program, economic and budget analysis; review of regulations; and 
development of legislation. In particular, the office is responsible 
for policies concerning families, child and youth development, support 
for low-income families and their children, welfare, and the financing 
and delivery of human services. The office works closely with agencies 
that provide services to low-income populations, particularly the 
Administration for Children and Families.
    1. The Division of Economic Support for Families (AES1) is 
responsible for functions of the office related to low-income 
populations. The division's principal areas of focus include: cash and 
non-cash assistance for working and non-working families, welfare-to-
work strategies, cash and non-cash assistance for working and non-
working families, welfare-to-work strategies, child support 
enforcement, and special populations (e.g., immigrants). The division 
also monitors, analyzes, and maintain liaison with programs and 
policies outside the Department that effect HHS issues, such as earned 
income tax credits, food stamps, housing assistance, and

[[Page 61343]]

education and workforce development programs.
    2. The Division of Children and Youth Policy (AES2) is responsible 
for functions of the office affecting children and youth. The principal 
areas of focus include: healthy development of children and youth, 
family support, human services for children, youth, and their families, 
such as child welfare and child protection, at-risk youth, child care 
and early childhood education, and violence prevention.
    3, The Division of Data and Technical Analysis (AES3) is 
responsible for the development, analysis, and coordination of 
research, evaluation, and data gathering activities relating to 
policies and programs concerning the low-income population. The 
division provides support for policy development through data analysis, 
modeling, cost and impact analyses, and the enhancement of national, 
state, and local data sources for analyzing and tracking issues. The 
division also is responsible for the annual update of the HHS poverty 
guidelines. The division also maintains cognizance of data collection 
activities of the Federal statistical system and coordinates with the 
Office of Science and Data Policy, as appropriate.
D. The Office of Disability, Aging and Long-Term Care Policy (AEW)
    The Office of Disability, Aging and Long-Term Care Policy (DALTCP) 
is responsible for the development of financing and service 
organization and delivery policy on matters related to disability, 
aging, and long-term care. Functions includes policy and long-range 
planning; planning, policy and program analysis; review of regulations 
and development of legislation; and the conduct, coordination and 
dissemination of research, evaluation, and data. The office works 
closely with other ASPE offices, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid 
Services, the Administration on Aging, and other HHS components. 
Activities related to the Older American Act are carried out in 
coordination with the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Aging.
    1. The Division of Disability and Aging Policy (AEW1) is 
responsible for the functions of the office as they concern persons 
with disabilities and older Americans. The division is responsible for 
supporting the development and coordination of crosscutting policies 
and data collection within the Department and in other Federal agencies 
whose actions affect the health, economic and social well-being of 
persons with disabilities and elderly populations. The division is 
responsible for measuring and evaluating the impact of all programs 
authorized by the Older Americans Act. The division assesses the 
interaction among health, disability, and the economic well-being of 
persons of all ages with disabilities, including identifying the 
prevalence of disability and disabling conditions, socio-demographic 
characteristics, service use, income, employment, and program 
participation patterns. The division also is responsible for 
coordinating the development of data and policies that are responsive 
to the characteristics, circumstances and needs of disabled 
populations.
    2. The Division of Long-Term Care Policy (AEW3) is responsible for 
the functions of the office as they concern policies and programs that 
address the long-term care and personal assistance needs of people of 
all ages with chronic disabilities. The division develops and 
coordinates a comprehensive research, information, and analytical 
program to gain basic information to achieve the Department's 
objectives in the areas of long-term care and disability service and 
financing. The division is the focal point for policy development and 
analysis related to the disability, aging, and long-term care services 
components of Medicare and Medicaid, including nursing facility 
services, community residential services, personal assistance services, 
home health and rehabilitation services, and the integration of acute, 
post-acute, and long-term care services.
E. The Office of Science and Data Policy (AEJ)
    The Office of Science and Data Policy (SDP) is responsible for 
guiding and coordinating the development of science and data policy 
throughout the Department. SDP establishes and leads broadly 
representative, multi-office working groups to develop policy 
initiatives related to complex science, technology or data issues that 
cut across the mission of organizations within the Department.
    SDP is the ASPE lead on issues that are heavily science-based, 
including public health issues that involve complex or rapidly evolving 
science and technology, such as genetics, xenotrasplantion, stem cell 
research, cloning, and bioterrorism. SDP guides and coordinates the 
incorporation of science-policy considerations within the Department's 
regulatory and legislative proposals, congressional testimony, press 
releases and other public documents describing major Department 
Initiatives. SDP provides critque and advice regarding the science 
policy content of such document and, in selected instances, initiates 
their development.
    SDP is responsible for data development and coordination within the 
Department and serves as the focal point for Department-wide data 
policy. It provides leadership and staff support to the Department's 
Data Council--the principal internal forum and advisory body to the 
Secretary on data policy issues, including data strategy, data 
standards, informatics, and privacy issues. SDP provides direction and 
oversight to, and the Executive Director for, the National Committee on 
Vital and Health Statistics, the statutory public advisory body to the 
Secretary on health data, statistics, privacy, informatics and national 
health information policy. SDP also prices support to the ASPE and 
Office of the Secretary leadership on a variety of Department-wide data 
planning and informatic issues, as well as data issues in support of 
performance measurement. SDP also directs a program of policy research, 
evaluation and analysis in these areas and provides several cross-
cutting data policy services across ASPE.
    SDP also is responsible for creating and maintaining effective 
communications and liaison with scientific, technical and data 
communities and agencies outside the Department regarding science and 
data policy issues. This includes liaison with the Office of Science 
and Technology activities; and government/private sector collaborations 
related to sciences policy.

II. Delegations of Authority

    All delegations and redelegations of authority made to officials 
and employees of affected organizational components will continue in 
them or their successors pending further redelegation, provided they 
are consistent with this reorganization.

    Dated: September 20, 2002.
Ed Sontag,
Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management.
[FR Doc. 02-24747 Filed 9-27-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-04-M