{ "id": "RL31719", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "number": "RL31719", "active": false, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 302655, "date": "2005-03-17", "retrieved": "2016-04-07T19:50:16.438029", "title": "An Overview of the U.S. Public Health System in the Context of Emergency Preparedness", "summary": "This report describes the U.S. public health infrastructure: the structure, organization, and legal\nbasis\nof domestic public health activities. In contrast with healthcare, public health practice is aimed at\ndecreasing the burden of illness and injury in populations, rather than individuals. Public health\nagencies use epidemiologic investigation, laboratory testing, information technology, public and\nprovider education, and other tools to support their mission, activities that in turn rely on an adequate\nand well-trained public health workforce. Federal leadership for public health is based in the\nDepartment of Health and Human Services (HHS) and in particular at the Centers for Disease\nControl and Prevention (CDC). Most public health authority, such as mandatory disease reporting,\nlicensing of healthcare providers and facilities, and quarantine authority, is actually based with states\nas an exercise of their police powers. Local and municipal health agencies vary in size, governance,\nand authority, but they are the front line in responding to public health threats.\n \n In 2001, terrorist attacks on the nation brought the weaknesses of our public health system into\nsharp focus. Prior to the 2001 terrorist attacks, Congress passed the Public Health Threats and\nEmergencies Act ( P.L. 106-505 ), to address the decaying public health infrastructure and to prepare\nfor bioterrorism and other public health emergencies. After the 2001 attacks, Congress passed the\nPublic Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act ( P.L. 107-188 ), expanding\ngrants to state health departments and adding a new national hospital preparedness program, as well\nas adding new food safety and security authorities, protections for water infrastructure, and other\nprovisions. Congress also passed the Homeland Security Act ( P.L. 107-296 ), creating the new\nDepartment of Homeland Security (DHS) to serve as a coordination point for homeland security\nactivities and to house certain public health preparedness programs.\n \n This report describes the nation\u2019s public health infrastructure and authorities at the\nfederal,\nstate, and local levels. It provides a history of relevant legislation and appropriations, both prior to\nand after the 2001 terrorist attacks. In addition, it describes selected public health preparedness\nprograms at HHS and DHS.\n \n This report also discusses a number of issues in ensuring public health preparedness. Specific\nchallenges include: ensuring the coordinated planning for and response to emergencies by a variety\nof public health and other governmental actors, given that public health authority rests principally\nwith states rather than the federal government; setting goals and standards for preparedness at the\nfederal, state, and local levels; ensuring programmatic and fiscal accountability, and steady progress\ntoward goals; and training and sustaining a skilled workforce for public health at all levels of\ngovernment. The overarching challenge for policymakers is in making sound trade-offs with finite\nresources; ensuring all-hazards preparedness for a variety of emergencies, while balancing\nresources\nappropriately between emergency preparedness and the prevention of injuries and chronic diseases\nthat kill millions annually. This report will be updated periodically.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL31719", "sha1": "29edde50bfd2557104b6fe29116ba8b20bf01212", "filename": "files/20050317_RL31719_29edde50bfd2557104b6fe29116ba8b20bf01212.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL31719", "sha1": "3cd1cd8016fcd88d484472df01c00a8b5609c0da", "filename": "files/20050317_RL31719_3cd1cd8016fcd88d484472df01c00a8b5609c0da.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metacrs4286/", "id": "RL31719 2003-05-21", "date": "2003-05-21", "retrieved": "2005-06-11T04:46:40", "title": "An Overview of the U.S. Public Health System in the Context of Bioterrorism", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20030521_RL31719_f7e0efc699c7ec85a063570f981db5b54ebccb5b.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20030521_RL31719_f7e0efc699c7ec85a063570f981db5b54ebccb5b.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Defense policy", "name": "Defense policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Public health - Infrastructure - U.S.", "name": "Public health - Infrastructure - U.S." }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Biological warfare", "name": "Biological warfare" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Health policy", "name": "Health policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Emergency management", "name": "Emergency management" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc807730/", "id": "RL31719_2003Jan17", "date": "2003-01-17", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "An Overview of the U.S. Public Health System in the Context of Bioterrorism", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20030117_RL31719_e4e3a57a26254602971f7ead085994c53fc1b8c1.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20030117_RL31719_e4e3a57a26254602971f7ead085994c53fc1b8c1.html" } ], "topics": [] } ], "topics": [ "Appropriations" ] }