Crs Report for Congress Received through the Crs Web an Overview of the U. S. Public Health System in the Context of Emergency Preparedness Updated March 17, 2005

By Lister, Sarah A.

Book Id: WPLBN0000185975
Format Type: PDF eBook
File Size: 0.3 MB
Reproduction Date: 2008

Title:	Crs Report for Congress Received through the Crs Web an Overview of the U. S. Public Health System in the Context of Emergency Preparedness Updated March 17, 2005
Author:	Lister, Sarah A.
Volume:
Language:	English
Subject:	Government publications, Legislation., Government Printing Office (U.S.)
Collections:	Government Library Collection
Historic Publication Date:
Publisher:	Government Printing Office


Citation APA MLA Chicago Lister, S. A. (n.d.). Crs Report for Congress Received through the Crs Web an Overview of the U. S. Public Health System in the Context of Emergency Preparedness Updated March 17, 2005. Retrieved from http://gutenberg.cc/

Excerpt
Summary: This report describes the U.S. public health infrastructure: the structure, organization, and legal basis of domestic public health activities. In contrast with healthcare, public health practice is aimed at decreasing the burden of illness and injury in populations, rather than individuals. Public health agencies use epidemiologic investigation, laboratory testing, information technology, public and provider education, and other tools to support their mission, activities that in turn rely on an adequate and well-trained public health workforce. Federal leadership for public health is based in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and in particular at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Most public health authority, such as mandatory disease reporting, licensing of healthcare providers and facilities, and quarantine authority, is actually based with states as an exercise of their police powers. Local and municipal health agencies vary in size, governance, and authority, but they are the front line in responding to public health threats.

Table of Contents
Contents Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Public Health Infrastructure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Legal Framework for Public Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Federal Public Health Role and Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 State Public Health Role and Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Local Public Health Role and Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 How Is Public Health Funded? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Recent Congressional Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 The 109th Congress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Major Legislation in the 107th and 108th Congresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Major Legislation Prior to the 2001 Terrorist Attacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Appropriations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Issues for the 109th Congress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Coordination Across Agencies and Levels of Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Defining Goals, Setting Standards, and Measuring Progress . . . . . . . . . . . 23 CDC and HRSA Critical Benchmarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Next Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Fiscal Accountability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Supplanting of Funds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Pass-Through of Funds to Local Governments and Hospitals . . . . . . . 27 Public Health Workforce Shortages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Appendix A: Selected Programs in the Department of Health and Human Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Programs That Build Federal or National Capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Project BioShield (OPHEP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Biosurveillance Initiative/BioSense (CDC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Laboratory Response Network (CDC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Select Agent Program (CDC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Strategic National Stockpile (CDC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Food Safety Programs (FDA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Programs That Build State and Local Capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 State and Local Preparedness Grants (CDC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Hospital Preparedness Grants (HRSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Cities Readiness Initiative (CDC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Information Technology Programs (CDC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44