[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]
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