[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 6 (Thursday, January 9, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1157-1160]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-00181]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of 
Authority

    Part J (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry) of the 
Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of Authority of 
the Department of Health and Human Services (50 FR 25129-25130, dated 
June 17, 1985, as amended most recently at 82 FR 42555, dated September 
8, 2017) is amended to reflect the reorganization of the Agency for 
Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. This reorganization will combine 
the programmatic, technical expertise and resources of two divisions 
into one.
    I. Under Part C, Section C-B, Organization and Functions, the 
following organizational unit is deleted in its entirety:

 Division of Community Health Investigations (JAAM)
 Eastern Branch (JAAMB)
 Central Branch (JAAMC)
 Western Branch (JAAMD)
 Science Support Branch (JAAME)
 Division of Toxicology and Human Health Science (JAAN)
 Geospatial Research, Analysis and Services Program (JAAN12)
 Emergency Response Program (JAAN13)
 Environmental Epidemiology Branch (JAANB)
 Environmental Health Surveillance Branch (JAANC)
 Environmental Medicine Branch (JAAND)
 Environmental Toxicology Branch (JAANE)

    II. Under Part C, Section C-B, Organization and Functions, make the 
following change:

 Update the functional statement for the Agency for Toxic 
Substances and Disease Registry (J)
 Update the functional statement for the Office of the 
Administrator (JA)
 Update the functional statement for the Office of the Director 
(JAA)
 Retitle the Office of Financial, Administrative, and 
Information Services to the Office of the Office of Management and 
Analytics (JAA2)
 Retitle the Office of Policy, Planning and Evaluation to the 
Office of Policy, Partnerships, and Planning (JAA3)
 Update the functional statements for the Office of 
Communication (JAA7)
 Establish the Office of Science (JAA9)
 Establish the Office of the Associate Director (JAAQ)
 Establish the Office of Innovation and Analytics (JAAQB)
 Establish the Office of Community Health Hazard Assessment 
(JAAQC)
 Establish the Office of Capacity Development and Applied 
Prevention Science (JAAQD)

    III. Under Part C, Section C-B, Organization and Functions, insert 
the following:
     Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry (J). The 
mission of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) 
is to protect communities from harmful health effects of hazardous 
waste sites and hazardous material spills. The ATSDR responsibilities 
are specified in the Comprehensive Environmental Response, 
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) as amended in the 
Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 and in amendments 
(Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984) to the Resource 
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). ATSDR works closely with state, 
tribal, territory, local, other federal agencies, and other 
organizations to reduce or eliminate illness, disability, and death 
that result from exposure of the public to toxic substances at spill 
and waste disposal sites. Through additional laws, ATSDR provides 
environmental support to other national efforts, such as the disposal 
of medical wastes. To carry out its CERCLA mission, ATSDR:
    (1) Evaluates data and information on the release of hazardous 
substances into the environment to assess any current or future impact 
on public health, develops health advisories or other health 
recommendations, and identifies studies or actions needed to evaluate 
and mitigate or prevent adverse human health effects; (2) summarizes 
and interprets available data on the health effects of hazardous 
substances in consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA) and other programs and Public Health Service (PHS) agencies, and 
in cooperation with the National Toxicology Program, initiates 
toxicologic research to determine the health effects of designated 
hazardous substances, where needed; (3) provides health-related

[[Page 1158]]

support in public health emergencies, including public health 
advisories involving exposure to hazardous substances; (4) establishes 
and maintains a registry of persons exposed to chemical or disease 
specific hazardous substances and a registry of serious diseases and 
illnesses in persons exposed to specific toxic substances as a result 
of environmental exposure; (5) expands knowledge of the relationship 
between exposure to hazardous substances and adverse human health 
effects, through epidemiologic, toxicologic, laboratory, and human, 
animal, and other scientific studies on hazardous substances; (6) 
develops and disseminates to physicians and other health care providers 
informational materials on the health effects of toxic substances. To 
carry out its RCRA mission, ATSDR (1) provides immediate or short-term 
assistance to EPA regional and headquarters staff to provide health 
advice and health effect information about releases of hazardous 
substances at landfills and surface impoundments; and (2) conducts 
health assessments when environmental contamination has been found to 
pose a substantial potential risk to human health.
     Office of the Administrator (JA). (1) Directs and 
evaluates the programs and activities of the Agency; (2) provides 
leadership for implementing statutory responsibilities; (3) approves 
the Agency's goals and objectives; (4) provides overall policy 
direction to the scientific/medical program; (5) plans, promotes, and 
coordinates an ongoing program to assure equal employment 
opportunities; (6) provides leadership for and assessment of 
administrative management activities; (7) assures coordination with 
appropriate PHS staff offices and other relevant agencies for 
administrative and program matters, such as coordinating emergency 
response activities that involve action at the PHS level.
     Office of the Director (JAA). (1) Manages, directs, 
coordinates, and evaluates all health-related programs of the National 
Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) and ATSDR; (2) provides overall 
leadership in health-related activities for hazardous substances, 
hazardous waste sites and chemical releases; (3) provides overall 
coordination for the research programs and science policies of the 
agencies; (4) develops goals and objectives and provides leadership, 
policy formulation, scientific oversight, and guidance in program 
planning and development; (5) provides overall programmatic direction 
for planning and management oversight of allocated resources, human 
resource management and administrative support; (6) provides 
information, publication and distribution services to NCEH/ATSDR; (7) 
maintains liaison with other federal, state, and local agencies, 
institutions, and organizations; (8) coordinates NCEH/ATSDR program 
activities with other Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 
components, other federal, state and local government agencies, the 
private sector, and other nations; and (9) directs and coordinates 
activities in support of the Department's Equal Employment Opportunity 
program and employee development.
     Office of Management and Analytics (JAA2). (1) Plans, 
manages, directs, and conducts the administrative and financial 
management operations of NCEH/ATSDR; (2) reviews the effectiveness and 
efficiency of administration and operation of all NCEH/ATSDR programs; 
(3) develops and directs systems for human resource management, 
financial services, procurement requisitioning, and travel 
authorization; (4) provides and coordinates services for the extramural 
award activities of NCEH/ATSDR; (5) formulates and provides overall 
programmatic direction for planning and management oversight of 
allocated resources, human resource management and administrative 
support; (6) develops and directs a system for cost recovery; and (7) 
enables and supports NCEH/ATSDR data management, systems development, 
and information security needs; (8) develops and directs employee 
engagement programs; and (9) analyzes NCEH/ATSDR workforce, systems, 
and resources.
     Office of Policy, Partnerships and Planning (JAA3). (1) 
Coordinates, develops, recommends and implements strategic planning and 
tracking for NCEH/ATSDR; (2) develops and coordinates performance 
management to ensure achievement of goals in NCEH/ATSDR programs; (3) 
participates in reviewing, coordinating, and preparing legislation, 
briefing documents, Congressional testimony, and other legislative 
matters; (4) maintains liaison and coordinates with other federal 
agencies for program planning and performance; (5) assists in the 
development of NCEH/ATSDR budget and program initiatives; (6) provides 
liaison with staff offices and other officials of CDC; (7) monitors and 
prepares reports on health-related activities to comply with provisions 
of relevant legislation; (8) coordinates the development, review, and 
approval of Federal regulations, Federal Register announcements, 
Freedom of Information Act requests, Government Accountability Office 
and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Inspector General 
reports, and related activities; (9) develops and strengthens strategic 
partnerships with key constituent groups; and (10) facilitates 
communication between NCEH/ATSDR and its partners.
     Office of Communication (JAA7). (1) Serves as the 
principal advisor to the Assistant Administrator, director and 
divisions on communication and marketing science, research, practice, 
and public affairs; (2) leads agency strategic planning for 
communication and marketing science and public affairs programs and 
projects; (3) analyzes context, situation, and environment to inform 
agency-wide communication and marketing programs and projects; (4) 
ensures use of scientifically sound research for marketing and 
communication programs and projects; (5) ensures accurate, accessible, 
timely, and effective translation of science for use by multiple 
audiences; (6) leads identification and implementation of information 
dissemination channels; (7) provides communication and marketing 
project management expertise; (8) collaborates with external 
organizations and the news, public service, and entertainment and other 
media to ensure that scientific findings and their implications for 
public health reach the intended audiences; (9) collaborates closely 
with divisions to produce materials tailored to meet the requirements 
of news and other media channels, including press releases, letters to 
the editor, public service announcements, television programming, video 
news releases, and other electronic and printed materials; (10) 
coordinates the development and maintenance of accessible public 
information through the internet, social media and other applicable 
channels; (11) provides training and technical assistance in the areas 
of health communication, risk communication, social marketing, and 
public affairs; (12) manages or coordinates communication services such 
as internet/intranet, application development, social media, video 
production, graphics, photography, CDC name/logo use and other brand 
management; (13) provides editorial services, including writing, 
editing, and technical editing; (14) facilitates internal communication 
to agency staff and allied audiences; (15) supervises and manages 
Office of Communication activities, programs, and staff; (16) serves as 
liaison to internal and external groups to advance the agency's 
mission; (17) collaborates with the CDC Office of the Associate 
Director for Communication on media

[[Page 1159]]

relations, electronic communication, health media production, and brand 
management activities; (18) collaborates with the Center for 
Preparedness and Response and other NCEH/ATSDR entities to fulfill 
communication responsibilities in emergency response situations; (19) 
collaborates with other CDC Centers/Institute/Offices in the 
development of marketing communications targeted to populations that 
would benefit from a cross-functional approach; (20) ensures NCEH/ATSDR 
materials meet CDC and HHS standards.
     Office of Science (JAA9). (1) Ensures NCEH/ATSDR 
compliance with the various statutes, regulations, and policies 
governing the conduct of science by the federal government, including: 
Human subjects research determinations, the protection of human 
research subjects and the use of Institutional Review Boards (IRBs), 
the OMB Paperwork Reduction Act (relating to the collection of 
information from ten or more people in a 12-month period), the OMB 
Information Quality Bulletin, Confidentiality Protection, and the 
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA, and 
its ``Privacy Rule''); and others; (2) develops and maintains the NCEH/
ATSDR Clearance Policy and managing and conducting clearance for NCEH/
ATSDR documents; (3) coordinates and manages document cross-clearance 
between NCEH/ATSDR and other parts of CDC; facilitating agency reviews 
of external documents, coordinating and managing information quality 
requests concerning NCEH/ATSDR documents; (4) coordinates and manages 
external peer review for NCEH/ATSDR documents and intramural programs; 
(5) coordinates and manages the activities of the NCEH/ATSDR Board of 
Scientific Counselors (a federal advisory committee and its 
subcommittees and workgroups; (6) coordinates interagency workgroups/
committees such as the President's Task Force on Environmental Health 
Risks and Safety Risks to Children, and the National Toxicology Program 
Executive Committee; (7) coordinates and manages NCEH/ATSDR involvement 
in the Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Program; (8) coordinates 
NCEH/ATSDR involvement in CDC public health ethics activities; (9) 
coordinates NCEH/ATSDR involvement in CDC science awards activities 
(e.g., the Shepard Award, and CDC/ATSDR Honor Awards); (10) organizes 
and sponsors select training opportunities (e.g., human subjects/IRB, 
OMB/PRA, and eClearance Training for Authors and Reviewers); (11) 
represents NCEH/ATSDR on various CDC/ATSDR committees, work groups, and 
task forces, such as the CDC/ATSDR Office of the Chief Science 
Officer's Excellence in Science Committee, and the CDC Surveillance 
Science Advisory Group; (12) coordinates NCEH/ATSDR global health 
activities; (13) coordinates and manages the NCEH/ATSDR Healthy People 
2020; (14) prepares an annual inventory of NCEH/ATSDR publications; and 
(15) pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act, reviews draft 
Environmental Impact Statements on behalf of HHS where the proposed 
federal actions impact human health.
     Office of the Associate Director (JAAQ). (1) Provides 
leadership in directing, coordinating, evaluating, and managing all 
programmatic and administrative operations of ATSDR; (2) develops 
programmatic goals and objectives and provides leadership, policy 
formation, and guidance in program planning, development, and 
evaluation; (3) coordinates activities with other components of ATSDR 
and other federal, tribal, state, and local agencies; (4) works with 
the Washington, DC regional office to ensure coordination with EPA at 
the national level; (5) ensures the quality and consistency in the 
science and format used in the development of products and materials; 
(6) develops outreach messages following the procedures and policies of 
the Agency's Office of Communications; (7) provides timely responses to 
policy activities (i.e., FOIA, congressional inquiries, budget 
formulation, and briefings); (8) develops measures of divisional 
productivity and reports to the Agency and CDC director; (9) 
coordinates NCEH and ATSDR emergency management resources to support 
efforts to protect the public's health from environmental threats; (10) 
provides incident management and coordination for complex emergency 
management including the development, approval, and updating of 
standardized processes to enable appropriate and adequate management of 
resources; (11) develops, implements, and manages programs to enhance 
the emergency response readiness of CDC and other national, regional, 
state, local, and international public health programs; and (12) 
develops capacity within the states to integrate new and existing 
epidemiological and scientific principles into operational and 
programmatic expertise in emergency preparedness, response, and 
recovery and; (13) manages and conducts a records management program, 
including the National Archives and Records Administration standards, 
for ATSDR in accordance with Congressional mandate.
     Office of Innovation and Analytics (JAAQB). (1) Uses best 
practices to collect, analyze, and interpret data and disseminate 
scientific information to enable internal and external partners to make 
actionable decisions regarding exposure to hazardous substances; (2) 
provides analytical and modeling expertise, develops new analytical 
tools, and integrates the use of geospatial science in public health 
activities; (3) conducts environmental and biological computer 
simulation and other statistical modeling expertise to support internal 
and external stakeholders; (4) integrates geospatial science, data 
analytics and visualization, and manages processes, and analyzes data; 
(5) supports the CDC Emergency Operations Center as requested; (6) 
identifies, develops, and promotes new tools through authoring 
manuscripts, reports, and community-facing products as well as through 
leveraging new technologies in order to maintain and improve ATSDR's 
state of the art science practice; (7) develops toxicological profiles 
and repositories of data, conducts synthesis of research, evaluates 
methodological and programmatic best practices internal and externally, 
and conducts surveillance and registry programs; (8) coordinates the 
development of contaminant-specific information, and provides chemical-
specific toxicologic consultations; (9) determines health guidelines 
which estimates the highest level of exposure to a toxic substance that 
is thought to not have adverse health effects, and exposure-dose 
reconstruction; (10) creates and maintains surveillance systems and 
registries to understand the relationship between toxic exposure and 
health; and (11) develops repository of programmatic methodological 
best practices through meta-analyses of ATSDR documents, databases, and 
analyses.
     Office of Community Health Hazard Assessment (JAAQC). (1) 
Conducts public health assessments, health consultations, and other 
related public health activities to determine the health implications 
of releases or threatened releases of toxic substances into the 
environment; in particular, such activities are conducted for Superfund 
and RCRA sites, petition requests, and other sites or instances where 
communities have been or may have been exposed to toxic substances in 
the environment; (2) plans, manages,

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directs, and conducts the regional operations of the agency; (3) 
provides liaison, technical advice, and consultation to the EPA, other 
federal, tribal, state, and local agencies, private organizations, 
community groups, and individuals on eliminating or mitigating public 
health problems resulting from the release of hazardous substances into 
the environment; (4) conducts and evaluates exposure pathways analyses 
and other exposure screening analyses to identify impacted communities, 
to include exposure investigations (biologic sampling, personal 
monitoring, etc.), and related environmental assessments, as 
appropriate; (5) issues public health advisories when a release or 
threatened release of a toxic substance poses an imminent health 
hazard; (6) provides technical support and field presence for routine 
emergency and disaster response as appropriate; (7) engages with 
regional partners to accomplish special programs that promote 
environmental health; (8) provides scientific expertise in 
environmental epidemiology; (9) designs and conducts human health, 
including epidemiologic, studies to evaluate the association between 
exposure to hazardous substances and adverse health effects; (10) 
provides expert medical and environmental epidemiologic consultation; 
and (11) implements extramural research programs that involve human 
health investigations.
     Office of Capacity Development and Applied Prevention 
Science (JAAQD). (1) Builds capabilities by translating science into 
tools and actions that individuals, communities, and organizations 
apply to identify, reduce, or prevent health effects from exposures to 
hazardous substances; (2) coordinates and conducts training, community 
engagement, and system development that addresses internal and external 
needs as well as builds capacity of end-users; (3) develops best 
practices, tools, and strategies for engaging with communities, and 
providing community engagement consultation to internal ATSDR partners 
(e.g., health educators); (4) conducts grant management, project 
officers' activities, and builds capacity development through strategy 
development, monitoring, and training; (5) serves as an incubator for 
new preventions, interventions, and implementation science; supports 
testing, development, and material design for community and health 
professional audiences; (6) designs and standardizes intervention 
initiatives for community audiences, evaluating intervention design 
methods, and designing education campaigns; (7) designs and standardize 
intervention initiatives for health professionals, evaluating 
intervention design methods, and promoting environmental health content 
within clinical education programs; (8) designs, reviews and evaluates 
the scientific accuracy and clarity of health education materials; (9) 
informs and promotes integration of environmental health content within 
clinical education programs (e.g., coursework, clinical rotations, and 
primary care residency programs) and environmental medicine practice; 
(10) identifies and cultivates partnerships with academic and 
professional organizations to encourage uptake of environmental public 
health awareness curricula and career tracks; (11) develops community/
population and clinical intervention initiatives to reduce risk factors 
associated with environmental exposures; (12) develops integrated 
clinical support guidance for patient care; (13) provides, promotes, 
and/or implements ATSDR-approved tools and training to partners (both 
internal [e.g., health educators] and external [e.g., state partners]) 
so that they can effectively engage communities using a standardized 
approach; (14) provides evaluation guidance and facilitates evaluation 
feedback loops related to ATSDR intervention initiatives, guidance 
materials, and support tools for continuous quality improvement and 
effectiveness of grant-supported work; (15) implements ATSDR's Site-
Specific Cooperative Agreement Program; (16) plans, prepares, and 
executes appropriate community involvement and health educational 
strategies/activities/programs for communities affected or potentially 
affected by toxic substances released into the environment; (17) 
develops and tests metrics that could be used for public health 
surveillance or evaluation of intervention effectiveness; and (18) 
partners with relevant internal and external stakeholders to 
incorporate prevention strategies into existing programs, policies, and 
practices.
    IV. 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.

(Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3101)

Alex M. Azar II,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-00181 Filed 1-8-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-70-P