[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 98 (Monday, May 21, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30005-30007]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-12173]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of the Secretary


Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Statement of 
Organization, Functions, and Delegations of Authority

    Part A, Office of the Secretary, Statement of Organization, 
Function, and Delegation of Authority for the U.S. Department of Health 
and Human Services is being amended at Chapter AC, Office of the 
Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), as last amended at 72 FR 58095-
96, dated October 12, 2007; 69 FR 660-661, dated January 6, 2004; 68 FR 
70507-10, dated December 18, 2003; 67 FR 71568-70, dated December 2, 
2002; and most recently at 75 FR 53304-05, dated August 31, 2010. The 
amendment reflects the realignment of personnel oversight, 
administration and management functions for the U.S. Public Health 
Service (PHS) Commissioned Corps in the OASH. Specifically, it realigns 
these functions in the Office of the Surgeon General (ACM) and 
abolishes the Office of Commissioned Corps Force Management (ACQ). The 
changes are as follows:
    I. Under Part A, Chapter AC, Office of the Assistant Secretary for 
Health, make the following changes:
    A. Under Section AC.10 Organization, delete ``L. Office of 
Commissioned Corps Force Management (ACQ),'' in its entirety.
    B. Under Section AC.20, Functions, delete Paragraph ``I. Office of 
Surgeon General (ACM),'' in its entirety and replace with the 
following:
    I. Office of the Surgeon General (ACM)
    Section ACM.00 Mission: The Office of the Surgeon General (OSG) is 
under the direction of the Surgeon General (SG) of the United States 
Public Health Service (PHS), who reports to the Assistant Secretary for 
Health (ASH) and provides staff support for: (1) Assuring day-to-day 
management of the PHS Commissioned Corps' operations, training, force 
readiness, and field command of deployments; (2) Issuing warnings to 
the public on identified health hazards; (3) Reviewing of the 
particulars of Department of Defense (DoD) plans for transportation, 
open air testing and disposal of lethal chemicals or biological warfare 
agents with respect to any hazards to public health and safety such 
transportation, testing, or disposal may pose and in recommending 
precautions necessary to protect the public health and safety (50 
U.S.C. 1512 (2) & (3)); (4) Communicating with professional societies 
to receive, solicit, and channel concerns regarding health policy on 
behalf of the ASH; (5) Maintaining liaison with the Surgeons Generals 
of the Military Departments and the Under Secretary for Health of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs; (6) Representing PHS at national and 
international health and professional meetings to interpret PHS 
missions, policy, organizational responsibilities and programs, as 
assigned; (7) Maintaining and overseeing the activities of the 
Volunteer Medical Reserve Corps program (42 U.S.C. 300hh-15; (8) 
Providing liaison with governmental and non-governmental organizations 
on matters pertaining to military and veterans affairs. The Office 
provides staff support for: (9) Activities relating to membership on 
the Boards of Regents of the Uniformed Services University of the 
Health Sciences (per 10 U.S.C. 2113a(a)(3)) and other such positions as 
are authorized by law, further OASH's programmatic interests, and 
comply with Federal ethics, laws and regulations.
    Section ACM.10 Organization: The OSG is comprised of the following 
components:
     Immediate Office of the Surgeon General (ACM)
     Division of Science and Communications (ACM1)
     Division of Commissioned Corps Personnel & Readiness 
(ACM2)
     Division of the Civilian Volunteer Medical Reserve Corps 
(ACM5)
     Division of Systems Integration (ACM6)
    Section ACM.20 Functions:
    (a) Immediate Office of the Surgeon General (ACM): (1) Advises the 
ASH on matters relating to protecting and advancing the public health 
of the Nation; (2) Manages special deployments that address 
Presidential and Secretarial initiatives directed toward resolving 
critical public health problems; (3) Serves, as requested, as the 
spokesperson on behalf of the Secretary and the ASH, addressing the 
quality of public health practice on the Nation; (4) Provides 
supervision of activities relating to the day-to-day management of 
operations, training, force readiness, and deployment of officers of 
the PHS Commissioned Corps; (5) Provides advice to the ASH on the 
policies and implementation related to the appointment, promotion, 
assimilation, recognition, professional development, retirement, and 
other matters required for the efficient management of the Commissioned 
Corps; (6) Provides liaison with

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governmental and non-governmental organizations on matters pertaining 
to military and veterans affairs; (7) Directs and oversees internal 
office administrative operations (including proposing office budgets); 
and (8) Convenes periodic meetings of the Assistant Surgeon Generals 
(flag officers) to obtain senior level advice concerning the management 
of Corps' operations.
    (b) Division of Science and Communications (ACM1): (1) Coordinates 
activities to plan, develop, introduce and evaluate Surgeon General's 
Reports, Call to Action, workshops, and other authoritative statements 
and communications of the SG; (2) Advises the SG on science, data, 
evidence pertaining to population based public health and the 
furtherance of public health priorities; (3) Represents the SG in 
efforts to coordinate federal public health activities with similar 
activities in the States and local areas, as assigned; (4) Coordinates 
and is responsible for the preparation of SG correspondence, speeches 
and communications, as assigned; (5) Represents the SG at conferences, 
symposia, and community events; (6) Coordinates the receipt of senior-
level advice and input from the Chief Professional Officers, the 
Surgeon General's Professional Advisory Council, and category-based 
Professional Advisory Committees, and conveys such advice and input to 
the SG; and (7) Provides administrative and management support to 
Public Health Reports.
    (c) Division of Commissioned Corps Personnel and Readiness (ACM2) 
includes the following components:
     Immediate Office of the Director (ACM21)
     Recruitment Branch (ACM22)
     Assignments & Career Management Branch (ACM23)
     Ready Reserve Affairs Branch (ACM24)
    1. Immediate Office of the Director (ACM21). (1) Provides overall 
management of Commissioned Corps personnel including active duty 
Regular Corps, Ready Reservists and of those issues and PHS processes 
pertinent to retired Corps officers; (2) Develops, issues, implements 
and maintains all personnel policy issuances and directives related to 
Corps operations, personnel, training, readiness, assignment, 
deployment, promotion, and retirement (including publication of such 
policy in the electronic Commissioned Corps Issuance System (eCCIS)); 
(3) Manages the process for disciplinary actions and decisions 
involving Corps officers; (4) Ensures the appropriate exercise of 
delegated Commissioned Corps authorities and responsibilities; (5) 
Establishes precepts for appointment, promotion, assimilation, 
retirement, fitness for duty, awards and commendations, discipline, 
grievance, and other such matters; (6) With respect to Board of Inquiry 
(BOI) disciplinary proceedings, ensures documentation of board 
proceedings, preparation of correspondence to applicants and officers, 
timely and accurate advice and assistance to Board members and other 
support as required; (7) Conducts force planning, including working 
with agencies, and advises OSG and ASH on Commissioned Corps strategic 
long-term readiness planning; (8) Maintains liaison with all other 
relevant Federal Services as appropriate, including with components of 
the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs; (9) Coordinates as 
appropriate to seek Departmental legal advice, assistance, and 
legislative support; (10) Advises the OSG on mission nature, size, 
duration and usage of Regular Corps and Ready Reserve officers; (11) 
Serves as a central point of contact and prepares necessary 
communications for all Corps Agency Liaison Offices; (12) Oversees the 
determination of fitness-for-duty and disability evaluations; 
administers the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance and Traumatic 
Serviceman's Group Life Insurance Programs; and oversees Line of Duty 
determinations of the evaluation and issuance of medical waivers; (13) 
Serve as the principal advisor to the SG on activities and policy 
related to preparedness, Corps activation, training, deployment 
operations and total force fitness of the Corps; (14) Manages the Corps 
readiness and response activities to include establishing, maintaining 
and ensuring compliance with force readiness standards; ensuring that 
members of the Corps are trained, equipped and otherwise prepared to 
fulfill their public health and emergency response roles; and managing 
the timely, effective and appropriate response to urgent or emergency 
public health care needs; and (15) Conducts after action assessments 
and evaluations for the SG and ASH pertaining to the use of the Corps 
for deployment and other non-routine use of officers.
    2. Recruitment Branch (ACM22).
    (1) Implements programs to recruit new health professionals to the 
Regular and Ready Reserve Corps components, including the management of 
an Associate Recruiter Program; and (2) Develops recruitment 
strategies, programs, materials, and other resource to market and/or 
promote the use of the Corps for specific programs.
    3. Assignments & Career Management Branch (ACM23).
    (1) Addresses short- and long-term force management of Corps 
officers by assessing placement requirements in conventional and 
emergency response assignments, including the issuance of personnel 
orders; (2) Provides force management by identifying and categorizing 
types of assignments for which Regular and Ready Reserve Corps officers 
are required; (3) Develops, evaluates and grades personnel billets 
using the Commissioned Corps Billet Management System to assure that 
assignments match officer profiles to the requirements identified in 
the position billet; (4) Implements, manages, and monitors approved 
blanket personnel agreements and individual details to non-HHS 
governmental and non-governmental organizations; (5) Implements and 
administers Corps officer training, leadership, and career development 
programs and provides individual career counseling, pre-retirement, 
death benefit, and survivor benefit counseling; (6) Coordinates the 
Commissioned Officers Student Training Extern Program (COSTEP); (7) 
Establishes and monitors Commissioned Corps officer training and 
education requirements to ensures compliance; (8) Develops career 
development guidelines and materials to Regular and Ready Reserve Corps 
officers; (9) Ensures compliance and periodic evaluation of 
professional credentialing, licensing, and other regulatory compliance 
of Regular and Ready Reserve Corps officers; (10) Conducts periodic 
officer personnel reviews and performance evaluations to assure that 
Corps standards are maintained; and (11) Maintains the official Officer 
Personnel Folders (OPFs) and records for Regular and Ready Reserve 
Corps, excluding health (medical/dental/mental health) records.
    4. Ready Reserve Affairs Branch (AMC24). (1) Advises the SG on 
activities related to the preparedness and activation of the Corps' 
Ready Reserve personnel assets; (2) Develops and maintains Ready 
Reserve components or assets, except for officers assigned for extended 
active duty periods; and (3) Conducts force management planning of all 
elements of the Ready Reserve assets and recommends personnel policy 
issuance to support the mission and goals of the Corps' Ready Reserve.
    (d) Division of the Civilian Volunteer Medical Reserve Corps 
(ACM5): (1) Serves as the principal advisor to the SG and the ASH on 
Volunteer Medical Reserve Corps activities; (2) Supports local efforts 
to establish, implement,

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and sustain the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) units nationwide; (3) 
Maintains close liaison with the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness 
and Response (ASPR) regarding MRC policy, budget, and operations; (4) 
Provides national leadership and coordination of the MRC program; (5) 
Promotes awareness and understanding of MRC units' critical role in 
communities across the Nation; (6) Enhances the capacity of MRC units 
to achieve their missions, through technical assistance and information 
sharing, as well as contract and grants management; and (7) Supports 
efforts to utilize willing, able and approved MRC members, as needed in 
a Federal Response.
    (e) Division of Systems Integration (ACM6). (1) Coordinates the 
application of information technology and support for the execution of 
OSG activities in accordance with the policies and direction of the 
Office of the Secretary's Chief of Information Office (OCIO) under the 
Assistant Secretary for Administration (ASA); (2) Oversees information 
technology and systems to support recruitment, personnel operations and 
support, training, mobilization, deployment, and other Commissioned 
Corps system requirements including updates to the SG and the ASH on 
the migration to and implementation of systems provided by entities 
with expertise in uniformed services (e.g., the U.S. Coast Guard Direct 
Access system and TRICARE); and (3) Assures that system migration plans 
contain appropriately time framed goals, objectives, and metrics.
    C. Under Section AC.20, Functions, delete Section ''L. Office of 
Commissioned Corps Force Management (ACQ)'' in its entirety.
    II. Delegations of Authority. Pending further re-delegation, 
Directives or orders made by the Secretary, ASH, or Surgeon General, 
all delegations and re-delegations of authority made to officials and 
employees of the affected organizational component will continue in 
effect pending further re-delegations, provided they are consistent 
with this reorganization.

    Dated: December 27, 2011.
Kathleen Sebelius,
Secretary.

    Editorial Note: This document was received at the Office of the 
Federal Register on May 15, 2012.
[FR Doc. 2012-12173 Filed 5-18-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-42-P