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Terror Threat Snapshot [October 2018]

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The "Terror Threat Snapshot" is a product of the House Homeland Security Committee, and provides a monthly assessment of the Committee's continuing effort to highlight the growing threat America, the West, and the world face from ISIS [Islamic State of Iraq and Syria] and other Islamist terrorists.

United States. Congress. House. Committee on Homeland Security

2018-10
Major Earthquakes & Cascading Events: Potential Health and Medical Implications

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"This ASPR [Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response] TRACIE [Technical Resources, Assistance Center, and Information Exchange] resource provides an overview of the potential significant health and medical response and recovery needs facing areas affected by a major earthquake with or without additional cascading events. The list of considerations is not exhaustive, but does reflect a thorough scan of publications and resources available that describe past incident effects and response. Earthquakes do not pose a significant risk for every community and those communities that could be affected by earthquakes have different risk levels, different hazards or cascading events, and different levels of existing community preparedness and mitigation. Those faced with planning for--and leading the response to and recovery from--an earthquake may use this document as a reference. Planners and responders should integrate jurisdiction-specific risk assessments and issues specific to their communities in their planning efforts."

United States. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response

2018-10
China's Strategic Support Force: A Force for a New Era

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"In late 2015, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) initiated a series of ongoing reforms that have brought dramatic changes to its structure, model of warfighting, and organizational culture. Undoubtedly, among the most important changes has been the creation of a unified Strategic Support Force (SSF). This force combines assorted space, cyber, and electronic warfare (EW) capabilities from across the PLA services and its former general departments. [...]This paper begins by examining the evolution of China's approach to the space, cyber, and electromagnetic domains over the last three decades. It then provides an analysis of military organizational reforms launched in 2015, contextualizing the SSF's creation against the backdrop of broader changes to PLA structure, command organization, and changing concept of operations before focusing on the organizational dynamics of the SSF itself. The paper then explores each of the SSF's operational components, those responsible for its space, cyber, EW, and psychological operations mission areas. After giving a brief overview of how peacetime-wartime command relationships have shifted in the reforms, the paper then details the new joint force structure of the Central Military Commission (CMC) and evaluates how the responsibilities for intelligence and technical reconnaissance, network and EW, and information support missions have shifted force-wide given the preeminence of the SSF in these missions and the new CMC and regional theater command structure. Finally, the paper outlines the key operational responsibilities of the SSF in the context of the two primary roles it plays: strategic information support and strategic information operations. The paper then defines China's conceptualization of information warfare as applied to the SSF and notes key points where this concept aligns and diverges from a U.S. approach."

National Defense University. Institute for National Strategic Studies

Costello, John K.; McReynolds, Joseph

2018-10
Changes in U.S. Payments Fraud from 2012 to 2016: Evidence from the Federal Reserve Payments Study

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From the Executive Summary: "This Federal Reserve Payments Study (FRPS) report provides estimates of payments fraud totals and rates for payments processed over general-purpose credit and debit card networks, including non-prepaid and prepaid debit card networks; the automated clearinghouse (ACH) transfer system; and the check clearing system. These payment systems form the 'core' of the noncash payment and settlement systems used to clear and settle everyday payments made by consumers and businesses in the United States today. The data reported here show that the overall rate of payments fraud, by value, was rising even as the total value of noncash payments was rising in the United States in recent years. A rising rate means the value of payments fraud was increasing faster than the value of total noncash payments. As the number of payments has risen, the likelihood that a payment is fraudulent has also increased. Payments fraud is shifting as the payments system evolves and as new vulnerabilities emerge or old ones fade. Overall, however, payments fraud remains rare and represents only small fractions of 1 percent of the total value or number of payments."

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.)

2018-10
Plan for Addressing Critical Research Gaps Related to Emerging Contaminants in Drinking Water

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From the Executive Summary: "Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) have been detected at low levels in the drinking water systems that Americans rely upon across the Nation. Recent research has indicated that exposure to CECs under certain scenarios may pose risks to human health. To respond to these concerns, the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) established the 'Contaminants of Emerging Concern Research and Development Task Force' (TF) to develop a coordinated cross-agency plan to address critical research gaps as requested by Congress. Improvements to existing coordination of Federal and State activities would enhance the research, tool development, and data translation to information necessary for CEC-related drinking water advisories, standards, and mitigation efforts that protect public health. The cross-agency plan presented here describes and integrates five elements: (1) identification of critical CEC research gaps, (2) alignment of agency missions with CEC research gaps, (3) thematic areas for collaboration and coordination, (4) timeline, and (5) actions to enhance research efficiency."

United States. Executive Office of the President

2018-10
Administration's FDA Reforms and Reduced Biopharmaceutical Drug Prices

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From the Executive Summary: "Many Americans face excessively high prices for pharmaceutical drugs, making them either unaffordable or taking up a large share of household budgets. The Trump Administration has responded to this problem with several actions undertaken by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In most industries, free market entry and robust competition provide a pathway to lower prices. However, FDA regulations intended to guarantee safety and efficacy can constitute barriers to price competition for drugs. In few other industries do firms spend a decade and over $2 billion to enter the market--which is the current state of affairs for new, innovative drugs going through the FDA's safety and efficacy review process. As part of the Trump Administration's overall deregulatory agenda, HHS and the FDA have launched a series of reforms to better facilitate price competition by streamlining the drug application and review process in a way that effectively lowers barriers to entry while ensuring a supply of safe and effective drugs."

United States. Executive Office of the President

Council of Economic Advisers (U.S.)

2018-10
Office of Enterprise Assessments: Assessment of the Savannah River Site Emergency Management Exercise Program

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"The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Emergency Management Assessments, within the independent Office of Enterprise Assessments (EA), conducted an assessment of the emergency management exercise program at the Savannah River Site (SRS). The overall purpose was to assess the effectiveness of the emergency management program by observing and evaluating the full-scale exercise, identifying performance strengths and weaknesses, and conducting limited causal analysis of observed weaknesses. The assessment also included a review of the exercise program and an appraisal of the closure of two previous findings. The SRS emergency management program is currently making the transition from DOE Order 151.1C, 'Comprehensive Emergency Management System,' to DOE Order 151.1D requirements. Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC (SRNS) is responsible for overall site management and operations, including the site-level emergency management program. SRNS, Savannah River Remediation, LLC, and Ameresco, Inc. operate hazardous material facilities at SRS and are responsible for implementing the facility-level exercise program at their respective facilities. The DOE Office of Environmental Management is responsible for overall site operation, including oversight of the site-level emergency management program, and provides Federal oversight through the Savannah River Operations Office. The National Nuclear Security Administration Savannah River Field Office provides Federal oversight for tritium facilities and operations."

United States. Department of Energy

2018-10
Medical Surge and the Role of Health Clinics

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"Health clinics play a pivotal role in providing outpatient primary care and preventive health services to the most vulnerable populations in the U.S. Regardless of their diverse designations, characteristics, and funding sources, health clinics share the same goal: to deliver affordable, accessible, and high quality primary healthcare to medically underserved patients regardless of their ability to pay. Nearly 1,400 Federally Qualified Health Centers (federally funded and 'look-alikes' that meet all criteria but do not receive Federal funding), 4,100 Rural Health Clinics, and over 1,200 Free and Charitable Clinics provide community directed primary healthcare across the country. Because of their extensive geographic coverage, strong community ties, and potential to reach medically underserved areas, health clinics play a key stakeholder role in emergency and disaster preparedness and response. To ensure that healthcare providers are equipped and prepared to effectively respond to emergency situations, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the Emergency Preparedness Requirements for Medicare and Medicaid Participating Providers and Suppliers Final Rule (the CMS Final Rule) in November 2016. Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics are among the 17 provider and supplier types subject to this Rule. This exploratory study was conducted to learn more about the scope and level of implementation of emergency management activities among health clinics, including activities that some clinics may have initiated in response to the CMS Final Rule. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) Technical Resources, Assistance Center, and Information Exchange (TRACIE) conducted 175 online surveys with health clinic leaders from 38 states to collect their perceptions about the role of health clinics in supporting the health and medical response to disasters or emergencies."

United States. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response

2018-10
National Strategy to Prevent Trespassing on Railroad Property

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"Trespassing on railroad property is the leading cause of all rail-related deaths in the United States. More people are struck and killed by trains each year while trespassing - illegally entering or remaining on a railroad right-of-way - than in motor vehicle collisions with trains at highway-rail grade crossings. Between 2012 and 2017, the annual number of trespass-related pedestrian fatalities increased 18 percent, from 725 people killed in 2012 to 855 in 2017. In calendar year 2018, 324 pedestrian trespass fatalities had occurred by July 31, 2018. Data indicates that the number of trespassing occurrences each year far exceeds the number of fatalities and injuries. This raises serious concern of the potential for even more trespasser accidents. In its report on the fiscal year (FY) 2018 Department of Transportation appropriation, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations requested the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) study and identify the causal factors that lead to trespassing incidents on railroad property. The Committee also asked FRA to develop a national strategy to prevent trespasser incidents and submit it to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations by August 1, 2018. This document responds to the Committee's request."

United States. Federal Railroad Administration; United States. Department of Transportation

2018-10
Mid-Atlantic Forest Ecosystem Vulnerability Assessment and Synthesis: A Report from the Mid-Atlantic Climate Change Response Framework Project

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"This assessment is designed to provide detailed information for forest ecosystems across the Mid-Atlantic region. Several independent efforts related to climate change, natural ecosystems, and human well-being are also occurring at the state level. This assessment complements other assessments that have been created for the Mid-Atlantic region. The Framework project will also work to integrate the results and outcomes from other projects related to climate change and natural resource management."

United States. Department of Agriculture; United States. Forest Service

2018-10
Corrections Strategic Research Plan 2018-2023

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"The purpose of this plan is to outline NIJ's [National Institute of Justice] strategy to support research regarding the role and potential of corrections to contribute to the enhancement of public safety and rehabilitation through the delivery of services and treatment. The plan broadly defines corrections to include jails, prisons, juvenile residential facilities, and community corrections, which may include probation, parole, and other corrections programs involving individuals under criminal and juvenile justice supervision in the community. These settings differ in important ways -- for example, structure and organization; staff working conditions, training, and other developmental support; organizational goals and strategies; availability and delivery of programming and treatment; and differences in the populations under supervision. This plan points out these differences and highlights special considerations where appropriate."

National Institute of Justice (U.S.)

2018-10
Deployment of Real-Time Analytics and Modeling at the City of Flint, Michigan Water System

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"In 2014 the City of Flint, Michigan ('City') ceased drawing treated water under its agreement with the Detroit Water and Sewage Department and began treating water from its Flint River source. The change in source water and the lack of corrosion control treatment following that change allowed lead to leach into the drinking water. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found that the drinking water provided by the City of Flint to its residents posed an imminent and substantial endangerment to residents' health. [...] This technical brief summarizes the deployment of the prototype RTX real-time analytics (RTX:LINK) and data integration framework technologies to the City. It presents a high-level summary of the network hydraulic model calibration and accuracy assessment that were conducted and describes the benefits to the City once the technologies are fully deployed and adopted by the City. Finally, this technical brief demonstrates that RTX and RTX:LINK technologies can enable more efficient model calibration and accuracy assessment and make it easier for water utilities to update their network model as their operations change or are updated."

United States. Environmental Protection Agency. Office of Research and Development

2018-10
Blockchain Technology Overview

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From the Abstract: "Blockchains are tamper evident and tamper resistant digital ledgers implemented in a distributed fashion (i.e., without a central repository) and usually without a central authority (i.e., a bank, company, or government). At their basic level, they enable a community of users to record transactions in a shared ledger within that community, such that under normal operation of the blockchain network no transaction can be changed once published. This document provides a high-level technical overview of blockchain technology. The purpose is to help readers understand how blockchain technology works."

National Institute of Standards and Technology (U.S.)

Yaga, Dylan; Mell, Peter; Roby, Nikolas . . .

2018-10
Connecting and Securing Communities: A Guide for Federal Agencies Supporting Research, Development, Demonstration, and Deployment of Technology for Smart Cities and Communities

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From the Executive Summary: "'Connecting and Securing Communities: A Guide for Federal Agencies Supporting Research, Development, Demonstration, and Deployment of Technology for Smart Cities and Communities' offers a high-level framework of recommended practices and approaches to inform a broad range of smart city/community-related Federal activities. Emphasis is placed on empowering local governments and their stakeholders, including industry, to use partnerships to define and carry out activities that meet shared and individual community needs, and to innovate for the future. Coordinating efforts across Federal agencies will help accelerate the development of smart city/community solutions that maximize the value of investments, optimize benefits to residents, and improve the way infrastructure is designed, built, and maintained."

United States. Executive Office of the President

2018-10
Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General: Semiannual Report to the Congress, October 1, 2018 - March 31, 2019

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From the Inspector General's Message: "I am pleased to present our 33rd semiannual report (SAR), which summarizes the work and accomplishments of our office during the first half of fiscal year 2019. The audits, inspections, and investigations we conducted during this reporting period should continue to help improve treatment and care of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees at detention facilities, secure the election infrastructure, and strengthen the Federal Protective Service's management of overtime. Our work should also help the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to better safeguard Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and Sensitive PII (SPII) of disaster survivors, as well as enhance FEMA's oversight of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System. Finally, U.S. Customs and Border Protection ultimately canceled a multi-million dollar hiring contract with Accenture in which we identified serious performance issues."

United States. Department of Homeland Security. Office of Inspector General

2018-10-01
Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Capabilities

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"Public health systems play an integral role in preparing communities to respond to and recover from threats and emergencies. The public health consequences of disasters and emergencies initially affect local jurisdictions. During the initial response, the people and communities that are impacted must rely on local community resources. As a result, all state, local, tribal, and territorial emergency response stakeholders must be prepared to coordinate, cooperate, and collaborate with cross-sector partners and organizations at all governmental levels when emergencies occur, regardless of the type, scale, or severity."

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)

2018-10
Unaccompanied Children: Agency Efforts to Reunify Children Separated from Parents at the Border, Report to the Ranking Member, Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives

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"GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to examine processes for tracking and reunifying separated families. This report discusses DHS and HHS [Health and Human Services] (1) planning efforts related to the Attorney General's April 2018 memo, (2) systems for indicating children were separated from parents, and (3) actions to reunify families in response to the June 2018 court order. GAO reviewed agency policies and procedures, filings in the relevant court case as of August 23, 2018, and interviewed DHS and HHS officials. GAO also visited four ORR [Office of Refugee Resettlement] shelters in July 2018 to interview staff responsible for the separated children."

United States. Government Accountability Office

2018-10
Studying the Impact of Video Analytics for Pre, Live and Post Event Analysis on Outcomes of Criminal Justice

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"This project aimed to develop and study the effect of computer analytics for public space surveillance camera systems. Videos from surveillance cameras have the ability to not only aid in post-event investigations but also to improve intervention in live criminal incidents by flagging them as they occur. However, when left unmonitored or poorly integrated into police departments, surveillance cameras often become useless. Currently, the number of surveillance cameras in the U.S. is increasing rapidly, with human monitoring capability unable to keep pace. In this project, we developed computer vision analytics for large surveillance camera networks and installed them into a Public Safety Visual Analytics Workstation (PSVAW) operating at the Orlando, Florida police department (OPD). [...] The final report is comprised of five sections. Descriptions of the underlying logic for the developed computer vision algorithms and the results of their evaluations against standard computer vision science criteria are reported in section 1. The Public Safety Visual Analytics workstation components and GUI [graphical user interface] interface is described in section 2. Descriptions of the PSVAW related equipment transferred to the Orlando Police Department are provided in section 3. The field placement is discussed in section 4 and presentations and publications associated with the grant are listed in section 5."

National Criminal Justice Reference Service (U.S.)

Shah, Mubarak

2018-10
Greater New Orleans Situational Drug Report

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"The purpose of the Greater New Orleans Situational Drug Report is to identify current and emerging drug trends within the New Orleans metropolitan area as well as to deliver accurate and timely strategic intelligence to assist drug treatment and prevention organizations in the development of drug prevention and mitigation strategies. This assessment provides an overview of the region's primary drug threats. [...] Heroin is considered the greatest drug threat to the Greater New Orleans area (GNO), according to local respondents to the 2019 GC HIDTA [Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area] Drug Survey (hereafter referred to as the drug survey) and 2019 GC HIDTA Drug Treatment and Prevention Survey (hereafter referred to as the treatment and prevention survey). More law enforcement resources are spent on heroin than any other drug. [...] Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are considered the second greatest drug threat. In recent years, fentanyl and its analogues have frequently been found in samples of heroin and counterfeit pharmaceuticals. [...] Methamphetamine is the third greatest drug threat in GNO. Although methamphetamine is considered to be the greatest drug threat in the Gulf Coast HIDTA and Louisiana as a whole, the negative effects of heroin and fentanyl on New Orleans outweigh those of methamphetamine."

United States. Drug Enforcement Administration

2018-10
Wet-Vacuum-Based Surface Sampling Method for Chemical Agents

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From the executive summary: "This study investigated a novel surface sampling approach based on the use of a commercially-available wet-vacuum cleaning method as a sampling mechanism. This novel surface sampling approach utilizes the ability of one piece of equipment to dispense a solution (the wetting agent) onto a surface and to vacuum the applied wetting agent, including any dissolved chemical, for collection into the same system. This approach was investigated for collection of various classes of chemicals from indoor building surfaces. Target chemicals with varying degrees of solubility in water were collected from nonporous to porous and permeable substrates using water or organic solvent wetting agents. The performance of an optimized wet-vacuum sampling method using a commercial off-the-shelf wet-vacuum unit was evaluated for multivariate (chemical and surface type, surface contamination level, and wetting agent type) sampling of medium-size (approximately 1000 cm2) and large-size (approximately 5000 cm2) areas and compared to existing wipe-based sampling methods and/or modifications thereof."

United States. Environmental Protection Agency

Oudejans, Lukas; Wyrzykowska-Ceradini, Barbara; Morris, Eric . . .

2018-10
2018 National Drug Threat Assessment

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From the executive summary: "The 2018 National Drug Threat Assessment (NDTA) is a comprehensive strategic assessment of the threat posed to the United States by domestic and international drug trafficking and the abuse of illicit drugs. The report combines federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement reporting; public health data; open source reporting; and intelligence from other government agencies to determine which substances and criminal organizations represent the greatest threat to the United States. Illicit drugs, as well as the transnational and domestic criminal organizations who traffic them, continue to represent significant threats to public health, law enforcement, and national security in the United States. Drug poisoning deaths are the leading cause of injury death in the United States; they are currently at their highest ever recorded level and, every year since 2011, have outnumbered deaths by firearms, motor vehicle crashes, suicide, and homicide."

United States. Drug Enforcement Administration

2018-10
Evaluation of Stormwater Detention Basins to Improve Water Quality and Enable Emergency Response During Wide-Area Contamination Incidents

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"Detention ponds are stormwater management structures that temporarily collect runoff and then release a reduced flow to decrease the risk of flooding. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Homeland Security Research Center partnered with the Sanitation District No. 1 of Northern Kentucky and the Boone County Conservation District of Northern Kentucky to design and test detention pond outfall retrofit devices to determine the effectiveness of these devices in eliminating stream erosion, improving receiving stream water quality, and providing the capability to respond and mitigate wide area contamination incidents. Field studies for this project were performed at two locations in Hebron, KY - the Toyota Motor Sales distribution warehouse detention pond and the Boone County School District bus lot detention pond. Bench and field-scale pilot testing for this project were performed at the EPA's Test and Evaluation Facility in Cincinnati, OH."

United States. Environmental Protection Agency

Sinha, Rajib; Goodrich, James A.; Hall, John S.

2018-10
Food and Drug Administration's Policies and Procedures Should Better Address Postmarket Cybersecurity Risk to Medical Devices

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"We conducted this audit because OIG [Office of Inspector General] had identified ensuring the safety and effectiveness of medical devices and fostering a culture of cybersecurity as top management challenges for HHS [Health and Human Services]. We also considered public and Congressional interest in medical device cybersecurity risks to patients and the Internet of Things. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the HHS operating division responsible for assuring that legally marketed medical devices are safe and effective. Our objective was to determine the effectiveness of FDA's plans and processes for timely communicating and addressing cybersecurity medical device compromises in the postmarket phase."

United States. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of Inspector General

2018-10
Hurricanes Irma and Maria in Puerto Rico: Building Performance Observations, Recommendations, and Technical Guidance

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"For over 30 years, FEMA has been conducting studies and assessments of the performance of the built environment after disasters of national significance. In these instances, FEMA deploys Mitigation Assessment Teams (MATs) to observe building performance and provide design and construction guidance to improve disaster resistance of the built environment in the affected area. [...] Following Hurricanes Irma and Maria, FEMA's Building Science Branch, in coordination with Region II office and the Puerto Rico Joint Field Office (JFO), deployed a Preliminary MAT in October 2017. Observations from that team led to a full MAT deployment in December. The MAT consulted frequently with Commonwealth and municipal officials and resident subject matter experts during both deployments. Areas of focused observations included: building codes, standards and regulations; residential and low-rise buildings; schools, critical facilities, photovoltaic (PV) arrays, and solar water heaters."

United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

2018-10
Using Naloxone to Reverse Opioid Overdose in the Workplace: Information for Employers and Workers

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"Opioid misuse and overdose deaths from opioids are serious health issues in the United States. Overdose deaths involving prescription and illicit opioids doubled from 2010 to 2016, with more than 42,000 deaths in 2016. Provisional data show that there were more than 49,000 opioid overdose deaths in 2017. In October 2017, the President declared the opioid overdose epidemic to be a public health emergency. Naloxone is a very effective drug for reversing opioid overdoses. Police officers, emergency medical services providers, and non-emergency professional responders carry the drug for that purpose. The Surgeon General of the United States is also urging others who may encounter people at risk for opioid overdose to have naloxone available and to learn how to use it to save lives. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), developed this information to help employers and workers understand the risk of opioid overdose and help them decide if they should establish a workplace naloxone availability and use program."

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.); National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

2018-10
Assessing the Collective Security Treaty Organization: Capabilities and Vulnerabilities

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"The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) has been one of the Russian Federation's more visible forays down the path of regional hegemony. Under the leadership of President Vladimir Putin, Moscow has been promoting a series of increasingly ambitious Russian-led multilateral institutions. The CSTO has helped restore Moscow's military power in Central Asia and the South Caucasus. Although originally designed for mutual defense, CSTO members employ the organization to counter transnational threats such as cyber vulnerabilities, narcotics trafficking, transnational crime, and terrorism. Member countries further collaborate on arms sales and manufacturing, military facilities and training, regional security consultations, and conducting joint military exercises. In addition, the development of some permanent bodies in recent years demonstrates increased integration among CSTO members. Moscow uses the CSTO to pursue a variety of goals such as power projection, legitimation of its policies, and constraints on member states. Although Russia dominates the CSTO, the organization is weak. Its member governments continue to disagree on important issues and have failed to act in Ukraine or Syria. The weakness of the CSTO has hindered Russia's ability to pursue its goals through the organization and provides an opening for skilled U.S. leadership."

Army War College (U.S.). Strategic Studies Institute

Weitz, Richard

2018-10
United States Health Security National Action Plan: Strengthening Implementation of the International Health Regulations Based on the 2016 Joint External Evaluation

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"The International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR), overseen by the World Health Organization (WHO), seek 'to prevent, protect against, control, and provide a public health response to the international spread of disease in ways that are commensurate with and restricted to public health risks, and which avoid unnecessary interference with international traffic and trade.' The IHR reflect countries' commitment to building national capacities required to rapidly identify threats to human health and undertake quick action to prevent a public health event from becoming a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). In late 2015, WHO adopted the Joint External Evaluation (JEE) as a voluntary mechanism to evaluate IHR implementation through a multisectoral approach.2 Based on the evaluation methodology developed for the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA), the JEE is a voluntary, peer-to-peer, collaborative process that combines GHSA infectious disease targets with the all-hazards approach to public health preparedness and response required for implementation of IHR. The JEE Tool consists of four thematic areas: Prevent, Detect, Respond, and Other IHR-Related Hazards and Points of Entry, which cover 19 technical areas with specific targets and performance indicators. The JEE of the United States, conducted in May 2016, identified strengths and gaps in U.S. capacities to prevent, detect, and respond to public health emergencies. Following the 2016 JEE, an interagency, multisectoral IHR Working Group developed the 'United States Health Security Action Plan: Strengthening Implementation of the International Health Regulations based on the 2016 Joint External Evaluation'. 1 WHO. International Health Regulations, 3rd edition. See WHO. Partnership Portal: IHR Monitoring and Evaluation Framework. On behalf of the U.S. government, the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), which maintains the U.S. National Focal Point (NFP) for the IHR, led the development of the National Action Plan in collaboration with over 40 federal departments and agencies with a role in human, animal, plant, and environmental health across the 19 technical areas. ASPR continues to work with these federal partners to coordinate the plan's implementation until the next JEE of the United States in 2021."

United States. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response

2018-10
DOD Installation Services: Use of Intergovernmental Support Agreements Has Had Benefits, but Additional Information Would Inform Expansion, Report to Congressional Committees

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"In this report, GAO[Government Accountability Office], among other objectives, evaluated the extent to which the military services have (1) realized and monitored the benefits from IGSAs [intergovernmental support agreements] and (2) supported the use of IGSAs and monitored whether installations are evaluating opportunities to use IGSAs. GAO reviewed the IGSA statute and policies and procedures; evaluated a nongeneralizable sample of 8 IGSAs, selected based on factors including the military service involved, the amount of expected financial benefits, and the length of time in place; compared the services' processes and actions against standards for internal control; and interviewed service, installation, and local government officials."

United States. Government Accountability Office

2018-10
Silent Partners: Organized Crime, Irregular Groups, and Nation-States

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From the summary: "The U.S. Army increasingly faces adversaries that are difficult to define. The threat landscape is further complicated by the silent partnership between criminal organizations, irregular groups, and nation-states. This collaboration, whatever its exact nature, is problematic, because it confounds understanding of the adversary, making existing countermeasures less effective, and thus directly challenging U.S. national security interests. Military action taken without full appreciation of the dynamics of the nature of these relationships is likely to be ineffective at best or suffer unintended consequences. This monograph provides a comprehensive assessment of the threat to U.S. national security interests posed by the silent partners, as well as how the vulnerabilities of the relationships could be exploited to the advantage of the U.S. Army."

Army War College (U.S.). Strategic Studies Institute

Keene, Shima D.

2018-10
Medical Surveillance Monthly Report [October 2018]

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This October 2018 edition of "Medical Surveillance Monthly Report" contains the following articles: "Incidence and Sequelae of Acute Pelvic Inflammatory Disease Among Active Component Females, U.S. Armed Forces, 1996-2016"; "Psychiatric Medical Evacuations in Individuals with Diagnosed Pre-Deployment Family Problems, Active Component, U.S. Armed Forces, 2002-2014"; "Department of Defense End-of-Season Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Estimates for the 2017-2018 Season"; including "Surveillance Snapshot: Influenza Immunization Among U.S. Armed Forces Healthcare Workers, August 2013-April 2018" and "Surveillance Snapshot: Summary of the Department of Defense Global Respiratory Pathogen Surveillance Program, 2017-2018 Influenza Season."

Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center (U.S.)

2018-10

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