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Resources & Capabilities Documents

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Description
Applied Public Health Teams
The U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Applied Public Health Teams (APHT) provides resources and assistance to local health authorities throughout the United States. They were created in 2006 as part of the National Response Plan’s ESF-8 public health and medical asset provisions. There are currently five APHT, each of which is a work force comprising 47 USPHS trained Commissioned Corps officer responders. Each APHT is scalable, and can provide only those resources needed. The primary areas of APHT activities and reporting include epidemiology, surveillance, preventive (medical) services delivery, and environmental public health issues.
ASPR Technical Resources, Assistance Center, and Information Exchange
ASPR’s Technical Resources, Assistance Center, and Information Exchange (TRACIE) is a healthcare emergency preparedness information gateway that ensures that all stakeholders—at the federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial government levels; in nongovernmental organizations; and in the private sector—have access to information and resources to improve preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation efforts.
ASPR’s HHS emPOWER Map
The HHS emPOWER Map is a public and interactive map that provides the de-identified total number of Medicare beneficiary claims for certain electricity-dependent medical and assistive equipment that include: ventilators, oxygen concentrators, enteral feeding machines, intravenous (IV) infusion pumps, suction pumps, at-home dialysis machines, wheelchairs, scooters, and beds.  The data is updated monthly and provided both geospatially and in table format at the national, state, territory, county and zip code levels.
CDC CSELS Applied Public Health Advanced Laboratory Surveillance (DHIS)
The primary mission for the Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services (CSELS) is to provide scientific service, expertise, skills, and tools in support of CDC's national efforts to promote health; prevent disease, injury and disability; and prepare for emerging health threats. CSELS has four divisions which represent the tactical arm of CSELS, executing upon CSELS strategic objectives. The Division of Health Informatics and Surveillance (DHIS) advances the science and practice of public health informatics and surveillance.
CDC CSELS Division of Laboratory Systems
The primary mission for the Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services (CSELS) is to provide scientific service, expertise, skills, and tools in support of CDC's national efforts to promote health; prevent disease, injury and disability; and prepare for emerging health threats. CSELS has four divisions which represent the tactical arm of CSELS, executing upon CSELS strategic objectives. The Division of Laboratory Programs, Standards, and Services mission is to improve the quality of laboratory testing and related practices in the U.S. and globally through the development and evaluation of innovative training, technical standards, practice guidelines and reference materials.
CDC CSELS Division of Public Health Information Dissemination (DPHID)
The primary mission for the Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services (CSELS) is to provide scientific service, expertise, skills, and tools in support of CDC's national efforts to promote health; prevent disease, injury and disability; and prepare for emerging health threats. CSELS has four divisions which represent the tactical arm of CSELS, executing upon CSELS strategic objectives. The Division of Epidemiology, Analysis, and Library Services (DEALS) collaborates with our CDC and state and local public health partners to create and promote quality, timely and useful cross-cutting scientific products and services.
CDC Domestic Water Sanitation and Hygiene Epidemiology Teams
The Domestic Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Epidemiology Team is the lead epidemiology unit for U.S. water-related disease in CDC's National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases. This team tracks and investigates waterborne disease and outbreaks, builds waterborne disease prevention capability in state and local health departments, and develops effective prevention strategies to improve health. Other Centers, Institutes and Offices at CDC also provide capabilities to investigate waterborne disease and outbreaks.
CDC Infectious Diseases Laboratory Services
The CDC accepts specimens from state public health laboratories and other federal agencies for analysis. Specimens from private healthcare providers and institutions must be submitted to the local state health department laboratory (state, county, city) for appropriate processing.
CDC Public Information and Communications
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Public Health Information Network (PHIN) is a national initiative to increase the capacity of public health agencies to electronically exchange data and information across organizations and jurisdictions (e.g., clinical care to public health, public health to public health and public health to other federal agencies). In addition, the Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, Health Studies Branch (DEHHE/HSB) at the CDC has developed a Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) toolkit, which is used by public health practitioners and emergency management officials to determine the health status and basic needs of the affected community in a quick and low-cost manner.
CDC Toxin Abatement
The Division of Toxicology and Human Health Sciences (DTHHS), part of CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health / Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, integrates epidemiology, environmental medicine, and toxicology. This includes investigating the relationships between exposures to hazardous substances and adverse health effects.
CDC Waterborne Disease Prevention
The Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch is the lead coordination and response unit for domestic and global water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH)-related disease in CDC's National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases.  The mission of the branch is to maximize the health, productivity, and well-being of people in the United States and around the globe through improved and sustained access to safe water for drinking, recreation, and other uses, adequate sanitation, and basic hygiene practices.
Critical Infrastructure Protection Disaster Response Resources
The Critical Infrastructure Protection branch is the agency lead for the Healthcare and Public Health Sector.  Key activities within the branch include infrastructure risk analysis and prioritization, cybersecurity initiative coordination for HHS, emergency operation liaison with private sector partners during emergencies, and sector lead for developing, evaluating, and implementing protection measures related to critical infrastructure all hazards threating government and private sector partners .
Emergency Prescription Assistance Program (EPAP)
The purpose of the EPAP is to perform the activities related to processing prescription claims for medications and durable medical equipment (DME) for designated eligible individuals in a Federally-identified disaster area. EPAP allows any enrolled pharmacy in the United States and its territories to use existing electronic pharmacy systems as an infrastructure to efficiently process prescriptions and DME for individuals that are eligible for the Emergency Prescription Assistance Program (EPAP).
Ensuring Access to Quality Health Care Programs for CMS Beneficiaries - 1135 and 1812(f) Waivers
When the President declares a disaster or emergency under the Stafford Act or National Emergencies Act and the HHS Secretary declares a public health emergency (PHE) under Section 319 of the Public Health Service Act, the Secretary is authorized to take certain actions in addition to her regular authorities. Under section 1135 of the Social Security Act, she may temporarily waive or modify certain Medicare, Medicaid, and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) requirements to ensure that sufficient health care items and services are available to meet the needs of individuals enrolled in Social Security Act programs in the emergency area and time periods and that providers who provide such services in good faith can be reimbursed and exempted from sanctions (absent any determination of fraud or abuse).
Ensuring Access to Quality Health Care Programs for CMS Beneficiaries - DME Policy
Durable medical equipment is equipment which can withstand repeated use; is primarily and customarily used to serve a medical purpose; generally is not useful to a person in the absence of an illness or injury; and is appropriate for use in the home. This can be items such as walkers, wheelchairs, or hospital beds.
Ensuring Access to Quality Health Care Programs for CMS Beneficiaries - ESRD Tracking
The Kidney Community Emergency Response (KCER) Program provides technical assistance to End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Networks, Medicare organizations, and other groups to ensure that dialysis services are available in the event of an emergency or disaster.
Ensuring Access to Quality Health Care Programs for CMS Beneficiaries - Survey and Certification
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Survey and Certification Group (SCG) maintains oversight for compliance with Medicare health safety standards for laboratories, acute and continuing care providers (including hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies (HHAs), end-stage renal disease (ESRD) facilities, hospices, and other facilities serving Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries). In the event of an emergency, SCG provides continuous guidance and communication to providers that service Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. SCG uses an “all hazards” approach for disruptive events to include but not limited to pandemic flu, hurricanes, tornados, fires, earthquakes, power outages, chemical spills, and nuclear or biological terrorist attacks.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Response Resources
During a disaster or other crisis situation, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may assist other federal, state, local, and/or tribal authorities in response/recovery activities which deal with FDA regulated products such as drugs, medical devices, biologics, human food and animal feed, and cosmetics. This assistance may take a variety of forms, such as assistance in inspections of establishments which produce or distribute FDA regulated products, providing subject matter expertise on the use, storage, or quality of these products, or assistance in sample collections of these products. FDA response/recovery activities may be initiated through FDA’s inherent regulatory authority over these products, or through mission assignments as part of a larger federal response.
Incident Response Coordination Team
The HHS Incident Response Coordination Team (IRCT), coordinates all deployed Public Health and Medical (ESF #8) assets.  It is staffed by a combination of HHS, NDMS Intermittent staff, PHS and other Govt Agency (OGA) staff (such as Veterans Affairs and DOD).
Mental Health Teams
The U.S. Public Health Service’s (USPHS) Mental Health Teams (MHT) provides resources and assistance to communities throughout the United States. They were created in 2006 as part of the National Response Plan’s ESF-8 public health and medical asset provisions and may be deployed in response to an ESF-8 or non-ESF-8 public health emergency. There are currently five MHT, each of which is a work force comprising 26 USPHS trained Commissioned Corps officer responders. Each MHT is scalable, and can provide only those resources needed.
National Incident Support Teams
The U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) National Incident Support Teams (NIST) provides resources and assistance to State, Tribal and local health authorities throughout the United States, usually as the Commissioned Corps component of an Incident Response Coordination Team (IRCT). They were created in 2009 as part of the National Response Framework’s ESF-8 public health and medical asset provisions. They may be deployed in response to an ESF-8 or non-ESF-8 public health emergency.
National Institutes of Health (NIH) Disaster Response Subject Matter Expertise
The National Institutes of Health, Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) provide consultation by phone or email on a wide range of challenges that may be encounter during disasters. NIH staff includes SMEs in medical consultation as well as the fields of biosafety, biological risk assessment, chemical and industrial hygiene.
Recovery – Coordination of the Health and Social Services Recovery Support Function
The National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF) established the Health and Social Services (H&SS) Recovery Support Function (RSF) to assist locally-led recovery efforts to restore or improve disaster-impacted public health, health care and social services capabilities and networks.  Health and social services recovery promotes resilience, health and well-being of affected individuals and communities. 
Regional Incident Support Teams
The U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Regional Incident Support Teams (RIST) provides rapid assessments and initial incident coordination resources and assistance to State, Tribal and local health authorities within defined regions of the United States. They were created in 2009 as part of the National Response Framework’s ESF-8 public health and medical asset provisions. Like all Commissioned Corps response teams, they may be deployed in response to an ESF-8 or non-ESF-8 public health emergency or to meet urgent health needs. Each RIST is a short-term response asset available to Regional Emergency Coordinators and Regional Health Administrators within the region.
Services Access Teams
The U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Services Access Teams (SAT) provide resources and assistance to local health authorities throughout the United States. They were created as part of the National Response Framework’s ESF-8 public health and medical asset provisions. They may be deployed in response to an ESF-8 or non-ESF-8 public health emergency. The SAT assesses and monitors ongoing health and human services needs of affected populations and is particularly skilled at serving “at risk” individuals and populations, defined as people who are unable to plan, advocate/or obtain resources and/or services to meet basic health and safety needs.