[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 231 (Monday, December 2, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71568-71570]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-30458]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of the Secretary


Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public Health Emergency 
Preparedness; Office of Public Health and Science; 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 AA, Immediate Office 
of the Secretary, Chapter AN, ``Office of the Assistant Secretary for 
Public Health Emergency Preparedness (OASPHEP)''; Chapter AB, Deputy 
Secretary, Chapter ABC as last amended at 66 FR 40288, dated August 2, 
2001; and Chapter AC, the ``Office of Public Health and Science 
(OPHS)'' as last amended at 67 FR 48903-48905, dated 7/26/2002; and ACK 
``Office of the Surgeon General (OSG),'' OPHS, as last amended at 60 FR 
56606-06, dated November 9, 1995. This organizational change is 
primarily to realign the functions of the OASPHEP to more clearly 
delineate responsibilities for the various activities associated with 
emergency preparedness and response. The changes are as follows:
    I. Under Part A, Chapter AN, ``Office of the Assistant Secretary 
for Public Health Emergency Preparedness,'' delete in its entirety and 
replace with the following:

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public Health Emergency 
Preparedness (AN)

AN.00 Mission
AN.10 Organization
AN.20 Functions

    Section AN.00 Mission. On behalf of the Secretary, the Office of 
the Assistant Secretary for Public Health Emergency Preparedness 
(OASPHEP) directs and coordinates HHS-wide efforts with respect to 
preparedness for and response to bioterrorism and other public health 
emergencies. OASPHEP will direct the National Disaster Medical System 
(NDMS) and any other emergency response activities within the 
Department of Health and Human Services that are related to 
bioterrorism and other public health emergencies. OASPHEP is 
responsible for ensuring a ``One-Department'' approach to developing 
such preparedness and response capabilities and directs and coordinates 
relevant activities of the OPDIVs.
    Section AN.10 Organization. The Office of the Assistant Secretary 
for Public Health Emergency Preparedness (OASPHEP) is headed by an 
Assistant Secretary for Public Health Emergency Preparedness (ASPHEP), 
who reports directly to the Secretary, and includes the following 
components:

[sbull] Immediate Office of the ASPHEP (ANA)
[sbull] Office of Research and Development Coordination (ANB)
[sbull] Office of Emergency Response (ANC)
[sbull] Office of Planning and Emergency Response Coordination (ANE)
[sbull] Office of State and Local Preparedness (ANF)

Section AN.20 Functions

    1. Immediate Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public Health 
and Emergency Preparedness (ANA). The Immediate Office of the ASPHEP 
provides executive and administrative direction to OASPHEP components. 
The ASPHEP is the principal advisor to the Secretary on matters 
relating to bioterrorism and other public health emergencies. The 
ASPHEP coordinates interagency interfaces between HHS and other 
Departments, agencies, offices of the United States and state and local 
entities with responsibility for emergency preparedness and direct 
activities relating to protecting the civilian population from acts of 
bioterrorism and other public health emergencies. The ASPHEP provides 
the necessary leadership and coordinates activities for emergency 
preparedness matters internal to the Office of the Secretary's 
components and represents the HHS in working closely with the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency and other Federal departments and agencies. 
OASPHEP acts as the lead Federal agency for Emergency Support Function 
8 within the Federal Response Plan.
    2. Office of Research and Development Coordination (ANB). The 
Office of Research and Development Coordination (ORDC) is headed by a 
Director and is responsible for research

[[Page 71569]]

and development toward new vaccines, diagnostics, and drugs related to 
the pathogenic organisms most likely to be used in a terrorist attack 
on the U.S. homeland. A key function of ORDC is to direct and 
coordinate activities related to the development of vaccines and other 
pharmaceuticals to be included in the National Pharmaceutical 
Stockpile. ORDC supports the ASPHEP by working with all scientific 
agencies of the Department, including the National Institutes of Health 
(NIH), the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the 
Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as well as other governmental, 
private, and non-profit scientific entities.
    3. Office of Emergency Response (ANC). The Office of Emergency 
Response (OER) is responsible for supporting the interdepartmental NDMS 
Senior Policy Group and Directorate Staff; enrolling Disaster Medical 
Assistance Teams (DMAT), Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Teams 
(DMORT), National Medical Response Teams (NMRT), Veterinary Medical 
Assistant Teams (VMAT), International Medical Surgical Response Teams 
(IMSuRT) and specialty team volunteers; maintaining the national NDMS 
data base; and supporting NDMS personnel requirements during training 
exercises and deployments; credentialing for NDMS team members; 
developing and implementing policies, procedures, and guidance for 
NDMS; developing and coordinating of web-based training and development 
and implementation of field training for NDMS; overseeing Federal 
Coordinating Centers; facilitating hospital claims processing; 
interfacing with and supporting the Metropolitan Medical Response 
Systems localities; and development of the yearly NDMS conference.
    a. The Division of Emergency Response Operations (ANC1): The 
Division of Emergency Response Operations (DERO) is responsible for 
developing national DMATs, DMORTs, NMRTs, VMATs, IMSuRTs, and specialty 
teams capable of dealing with health and medical consequences of 
natural and man-made disasters, and terrorist incidents involving mass 
casualties, improving the communications infrastructure to support NDMS 
field response resources, especially for mass casualty incidents; 
maintaining the equipment required for emergency responses; and 
managing the Emergency Operations Center.
    1. National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) Branch (ANC11): NDMS 
Branch is responsible for supporting the interdepartmental NDMS Senior 
Policy Group and Directorate Staff; enrolling Disaster Medical 
Assistance Teams (DMAT), Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Teams 
(DMORT), National Medical Response Teams (NMRT), Veterinary Medical 
Assistant Teams (VMAT), International Medical Surgical Response Teams 
(IMSuRT) and specialty team volunteers; maintaining the national NDMS 
data base; supporting NDMS personnel requirements during training 
exercises and deployments; credentialing for NDMS team members; 
developing and implementing policies, procedures, and guidance for 
NDMS; developing overall coordination of web-based training and 
development and implementation of field training for NDMS; overseeing 
Federal Coordinating Centers; facilitating hospital claims processing; 
and development of the yearly NDMS conference, including the award 
ceremony.
    2. The Field Operations Branch ANC12): The Field Operations Branch 
(FOB) is responsible for developing national DMATs, DMORTs, NMRTs, 
VMATs, IMSuRTS, and specialty teams capable of dealing with health and 
medical consequences of natural and man-made disasters and terrorist 
incidents involving mass casualties; improving the communications 
infrastructure to support NDMS field response resources, especially for 
mass casualty incidents; maintaining the equipment required for 
emergency response; managing the Emergency Operations Center during 
emergencies; working with the Department of Veterans Affairs to achieve 
appropriate pharmaceutical availability, especially for mass casualty 
incidents; and establishing Management Support Teams at the site of 
emergencies.
    b. The Division of Administration and Support (ANC2). The Division 
of Administration and Support (DAS) is responsible for OER budget 
execution and formulation, personnel and procurement actions, and other 
administrative activities. To accomplish these tasks, DAS works with 
the OASPHEP Operations Officer; and the Office of the Secretary 
Executive Office (OSEO) and OER program managers to develop solutions 
to administrative related problems and to develop more effective and 
efficient administrative support for accomplishing OER activities. DAS 
also provides staff support for the OASPHEP Operations Officer in 
coordinating cross-cutting activities.
    4. Office of Planning and Emergency Response Coordination (ANE). 
The Office of Planning and Emergency Response Coordination (OPERC) is 
headed by a Director, who reports to the ASPHEP and is responsible for 
ensuring that the ASPHEP has in place the systems and processes 
necessary to coordinate the HHS response to bioterrorism and other 
public health emergencies. OPERC represents the ASPHEP in the planning 
and execution of activities to support the Continuity of Government in 
times of crisis. Key functions of OPERC include: (1) Development and 
direction of the Secretary's Command Center; (2) implementation and 
management of the Secretary's Emergency Response Teams; (3) development 
of the HHS Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) and coordination of its 
execution whenever required; (4) direction and coordination of HHS 
activities under the Federal Response Plan (especially Emergency 
Support Function 8); (5) liaison with the OASPHEP Office of 
Emergency Response (OER); (6) primary HHS liaison with emergency 
response entities elsewhere within HHS (especially CDC and FDA), within 
other Departments and Agencies (especially the Office of Homeland 
Security, the Department of Justice, the Department of State, and the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency), and within other Nations and 
multi-national organizations such as the World Health Organization; (7) 
planning, development, and implementation of exercises and other tools 
for assessing the readiness of HHS emergency response entities; and (8) 
professional education and training of OPERC personnel and response 
staff.
    a. The Readiness Enhancement and Assessment Program (ANE1). The 
Readiness Enhancement and Assessment Program (REAP) is responsible for 
evaluating the response capabilities of the Department, through its 
many operational assets (e.g., the National Medical Disaster System, 
the Commissioned Corps Readiness Force, and the Epidemic Intelligence 
Service). Through this analysis, REAP will recommend and implement 
necessary changes to operational plans, Departmental functions and 
policy guidance. The REAP will design, implement and analyze internal 
and external exercises, both functional and command post. REAP supports 
the Director OPERC and the ASPHEP by providing analytical analysis of 
plans, operations and exercises, making recommendations for future 
improvements.
    b. The Secretary's Emergency Response Team Office (ANE2). The 
Secretary's Emergency Response Team (SERT) Office is responsible for 
coordinating health activities between

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state or local government officials involved on site with emergency 
incidents and the Secretary of Health and Human Services or his 
representative. The SERT will design, roster, equip, train and exercise 
a rapidly deployable group of personnel to support the combined local, 
state and national response to public health emergencies. The SERT will 
provide on-site policy guidance and communications linkages between 
field operations and the ASPHEP.
    c. Secretary's Command Center (ANE3). The Secretary's Command 
Center (SCC) is responsible for coordinating all information received 
by the HHS related to public health emergencies. The SCC shall monitor 
both internal and external information sources and communicate relevant 
information directly to the ASPHEP or the Secretary. The SCC will serve 
as the single point of contact for all public health emergencies 
providing 24 hour staffing, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. During 
emergencies, the SCC shall serve as the focal point for liaison 
activities within HHS.
    5. Office of State and Local Preparedness (ANF). The Office of 
State and Local Preparedness (OSLP) is headed by a Director, who 
reports to the ASPHEP and is responsible for directing and coordinating 
the activities of HHS Operating and Staff Divisions with respect to 
enhancing state and local preparedness for bioterrorism and other 
public health emergencies. OSLP takes the lead in developing policies, 
plans and strategies that are intended to strengthen and upgrade State 
and local public health and medical capacities to respond to 
bioterrorism. OSLP is also responsible for ensuring stewardship of the 
federal investment in State and local preparedness and provides 
oversight, in collaboration with the Operating Divisions. Such 
oversight will include financial auditing, project monitoring and 
readiness assessment.
    II. Under Part A, Chapter AB, Deputy Secretary,'' add the following 
new component ``Security Clearance and Drug Testing Office (ABE):''
    Security Clearance and Drug Testing Office (ABE). The Security 
Clearance and Drug Testing Office (SCDTO) reports directly to the 
Deputy Secretary and receives operational oversight from OASPHEP. (1) 
provides Department-wide guidance for policy, oversight, and operations 
of personnel security; classified information; and telecommunication 
security; and (2) coordinates the Department's drug-free workplace 
program, which includes scheduling drug and alcohol testing.
    III. Under Part A, Chapter AC, ``Office of Public Health and 
Science,'' add the following new paragraph at the end of Section AC.20 
Functions, Paragraph K, ``Office of the Surgeon General (ACK)''.
    The Commissioned Corps Readiness Force (CCRF) is responsible for 
developing, commanding, deploying and coordinating a specialized cadre 
of U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) officers uniquely qualified by 
education and skills, who can be mobilized in times of extraordinary 
need during disaster, strife, or other pubic health emergencies. In 
coordination with the Assistant Secretary for Public Health and 
Emergency Preparedness (ASPHEP), the CCRF will respond to domestic or 
international requests to provide leadership and expertise by 
directing, enhancing, and supporting the services of the PHS and other 
HHS Operating Divisions, other U.S. government agencies or other 
responders.
    IV. Continuation of Policy: Except as inconsistent with this 
reorganization, all statements of policy and interpretations with 
respect to the functions contained in this reorganization, heretofore 
issued and in effect prior to the date of this reorganization, are 
continued in full force and effect.
    V. 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.
    VI. Funds, Personnel and Equipment: Transfer of organizations and 
functions affected by this reorganization shall be accompanied in each 
instance by direct and support funds, positions, personnel, records, 
equipment, supplies and other resources.

    Dated: November 21, 2002.
Ed Sontag,
Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management.
[FR Doc. 02-30458 Filed 11-29-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-03-M