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• Response to a Ricin Incident: Guidelines for Federal, State, and Local Public Health and Medical Officials

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  "The purpose of this document is to provide a template for a public health and medical response to a ricin incident and some of the recovery aspects that such an incident might warrant. It includes current information on ricin with respect to field sampling and laboratory testing, epidemiology and public health surveillance, medical treatment, risk communication, and environmental assessment, cleanup, and remediation. The document attempts to establish a comprehensive approach for domestic incident management involving ricin, again concentrating on public health and medical aspects. Ricin is a toxin derived from the castor bean plant. Ricin can be extracted relatively easily from castor beans; most of these preparations can be found in open-source literature (see Chapter 4 for more details). Exposure to ricin can occur through several routes including inhalation, ingestion, skin and eye exposure, and injection. The most lethal route of exposure is through injection, but that would necessarily be a limited event that would not require a coordinated public health response. Exposure to ricin by inhalation would pose the most serious public health and medical scenario. Exposure to ricin in high doses can cause organ failure and death with initial symptoms developing within 4-8 hours of inhalational exposure and up to 10 hours for ingestional exposure.2 Ricin is a non-contagious agent, and there is currently no approved treatment or cure for ricin exposure in humans. However, the symptoms can be managed with medical intervention if recognized early, and if the dose is not lethal."

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services

  2006-06
• Psychosocial Issues for Children and Families in Disasters: Guide for the Primary Care Physician

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  "The legacy of a disaster is serious and has widespread physical and emotional sequelae. The emotional impact of a disaster often persists well after the physical impact. Children may evidence symptoms related to the disaster either at home or at school. These are usually normal reactions to an abnormal situation; therefore, it is important for the physician to know how to recognize the psychologic sequelae in order to assist the child and family. The focus of this manual is on how the child health care provider may better prepare, assess, and treat youngsters and their families in the event of a disaster. As a recognized leader in a community, the physician also may be called upon to address community needs in case of such events. This manual also will aid the physician in assuming this role."

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services

  2006
• Helping Families Deal With the Stress of Relocation After a Disaster

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  "This handout gives you information and tips that explain; basic information about stress; signs of and ways to help family members deal with relocation stress; signs of stress in young people of different age groups (preschool to high school age); ways to help young people deal with stress (preschool to high school age); how to help the elderly deal with relocation stress; and where to find further information on these topics."

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services

  2005-11
• Information about Public Health Issues Related to Polonium-210 Contamination in the United Kingdom

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  "The HPA has identified those people who it considers may have been exposed to Po-210 contamination, and since December 2006 has been working closely with public health agencies in 48 other countries, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States, to contact people who may have visited the contaminated sites in London. The CDC, in turn, has been working with state and local health officials in 20 states to contact about 160 people to inform them about the potential for exposure and to assess their need for specific testing for Po-210 exposure. As of January 30, all urine test results for the approximately 17 people who chose to be tested indicate no person had amounts of Po-210 of concern for immediate health effects."

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services

  2006-12
• Guarding against Waste, Fraud, and Abuse in Post-Katrina Relief and Recovery: The Plans of Inspectors General

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  "HHS has announced a number of steps in response to Katrina. These steps include a relaxation in controls to make needed health and human services accessible under these very difficult circumstances. This flexibility is intended to permit hurricane victims to receive benefits and services without the usual documentation requirements. Services with immediate new flexibilities include Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), child care, foster care assistance, mental health services, and substance abuse treatment services. In another announced step, HHS continues to furnish health care providers and medical supplies to the Gulf area."

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services

  2005-09-28
• Model Trauma System Planning and Evaluation

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  "A trauma system is a pre-planned, comprehensive, and coordinated statewide and local injury response network that includes all facilities with the capability to care for the injured. It is the system's inclusiveness, or range of pre-planned trauma center and non-trauma center resource allocation, that offers the public a cost-effective plan for injury treatment. In such an effective system, trauma care delivery is organized through the entire spectrum of care delivery, from injury prevention to prehospital, hospital, and rehabilitative care delivery for injured persons. The system begins with a State's authority to designate various levels of trauma and burn centers and, through data collection and analysis processes, demonstrates its own effectiveness time and time again...This living document, Model Trauma System Planning and Evaluation, is a guide to modern statewide trauma system development. It modernizes the HRSA 1992 Model Trauma Care System Plan. The document is designed to provide trauma care professionals, public health officials, and health care policy experts with the direction to use the public health approach, a scientifically proven method, when developing and evaluating trauma systems."

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services

  2006-02
• Pandemic Planning Update II: A Report from Secretary Michael O. Leavitt

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  "The deadly avian H5N1 virus has now been confirmed in 53 countries, an increase of 16 nations since March. Three additional nations have reported human cases. The number of reported human cases now stands at 228, an increase of thirty percent, and more than half of the people infected have died...While the H5N1 avian influenza virus appears to be the greatest pandemic threat, there are other strains of concern which we must also address. Guided by our five priorities, we have accelerated the pace of our planning and preparation. Planning summits have been held in all but two states, and almost every state and every federal agency has either a draft or final pandemic plan in place. Many states are coordinating their strategic plans with neighboring states, and community planning is underway across the nation." Developments since the March 2006 report are detailed in this Update. "While we have accomplished much in a short period of time, the race we are in is not a sprint, but a marathon. In June, Congress passed the President's FY 2007 emergency funding request of $2.3 billion to help achieve our pandemic preparedness goals. These funds, the second installment of the President's request, will allow us to continue the essential work outlined here."

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services

  Leavitt, Michael O.

  2006-06-29
• Pediatric Disaster Preparedness Guidelines

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  "Because of these unique vulnerabilities of children, it is vital that their special needs are addressed in every stage of disaster planning - prevention, preparation, response and recovery. Since 1994, a priority for Illinois Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) has been to ensure that health care providers and health care facilities are prepared to meet the emergency care needs of children. Beginning in 1998, the Illinois Department of Public Health began formally recognizing hospitals for their emergency department (ED) pediatric preparedness through the EMSC Pediatric Facility Recognition process. Through this process, hospitals voluntarily meet criteria that assist in assuring they have appropriately trained personnel as well as resources and capabilities to handle the needs of the critically ill or injured child. Pediatric facility recognition is an initial step in preparing for pediatric disaster and terrorist events."

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services

  2005
• National Vaccine Program Office [website]

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  " The influenza (flu) epidemics that happen nearly every year are important events. Influenza is a respiratory illness that makes hundreds of thousands of people sick each year. The illness can cause severe health problems for the elderly and younger people with diseases, such as diabetes, heart or lung disease, and illness that can weaken the immune system. Typical primary influenza illness lasts about a week and is characterized by abrupt onset of fever, muscle aches, sore throat, and nonproductive cough. In some persons, severe malaise and cough can persist for several days or weeks. Influenza infection not only causes primary illness but also can lead to severe secondary medical complications, including influenza viral pneumonia, secondary bacterial pneumonia, worsening of underlying medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma, or diabetes, or other complications such as ear infections (i.e., otitis media) in children."

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services
• HHS Draft Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Plan: Public Comments to the Plan - Industry

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  This document includes accumulated comments on the Department of Health and Human Services Draft Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Plan from the following industry representatives: Aventis Pasteur, GlaxoSmithKline, Kaiser Permanente, MedImmune Vaccine, Quidel Corporation, and Roche.

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services

  2004-08
• HHS Draft Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Plan: Public Comments to the Plan - Associations

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  This Department of Health and Human Services Draft Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Plan includes accumulated comments from the following associations: American Biological Safety Association, American Hospital Association, American Lung Association & American Thoracic Society, American Society for Microbiology, Association for Occupational Health Professionals, Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Association of Immunization Managers, Association of Public Health Laboratories, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, Infectious Diseases Society of America, Laboratory Corporation of America, Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council, and The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America.

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services

  2004-08
• 17 Critical Benchmarks for Bioterrorism Preparedness Planning

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  This document outlines 17 critical benchmarks that work as the basis for state and city bioterrorism preparedness plans. The benchmarks are divided into two categories - public health preparedness and hospital preparedness.

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services

  2002-06-06
• Home Health Care Services Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist

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  "Planning for pandemic influenza is critical. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have developed the following checklist to help public and private organizations that provide home health care services assess and improve their preparedness for responding to pandemic influenza. Home health agencies will likely be called upon to provide care for patients who do not require hospitalization for pandemic influenza, or for whom hospitalization is not an option because hospitals have reached their capacity to admit patients. These agencies may become overburdened very quickly and shortages of personnel and supplies for providing home health care may occur. This checklist is modeled after the one included in the HHS Pandemic Influenza Plan. This checklist identifies key areas for pandemic influenza planning. Home health care organizations can use this tool to identify the strengths and weaknesses of current planning efforts. Links to websites with information are provided throughout the document. However, actively seeking information that is available locally or at the state level will be necessary to complete the development of the plan. Also, for some elements of the plan (e.g., education and training programs), information may not be immediately available and it will be necessary to monitor selected websites for new and updated information."

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services

  2006-03-01
• Business Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist

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  "In the event of pandemic influenza, businesses will play a key role in protecting employees health and safety as well as limiting the negative impact to the economy and society. Planning for pandemic influenza is critical. To assist you in your efforts, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have developed the following checklist for large businesses. It identifies important, specific activities large businesses can do now to prepare, many of which will also help you in other emergencies. Further information can be found at www.pandemicflu.gov and www.cdc.gov/business."

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services

  2005-12-06
• State and Local Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist

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  "Planning for pandemic influenza is critical. To assist you in your efforts, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have developed the following checklist. It identifies important, specific activities you can do now to prepare. Many are specific to pandemic influenza, but a number also pertain to any public health emergency. This checklist is based on the HHS Pandemic Influenza Plan, Public Health Guidance for State and Local Partners, but is not intended to set forth mandatory requirements. Each state and local jurisdiction should determine for itself whether it is adequately prepared for disease outbreaks in accordance with its own laws and procedures."

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services

  2005-12-02
• Personal Property Authorities Related to Emergencies and Disaster Relief

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  "As part of their mission, certain agencies have specific authorities provided under law which authorize them to use property in the case of emergencies or to assist in disaster relief. Agencies may be directed by the President or FEMA to provide personal property to support emergency relief. (See the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, as amended by Public Law 106-390, October 30, 2000, attached)(44 CFR 206.5). Agencies may use federal personal property to prevent loss of life or property even if the items were not acquired for this purpose. (FPMR 101-25.100)."

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services

  2005-09-20
• Bioterrorism Program Report

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  Rhode Island Department of Health report on Public Health Preparedness and Response to Bioterrorism Program

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services

  Rhode Island. Department of Health

  2004-03
• Information for Health: A Strategy for Building the National Health Information Infrastructure

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  "Recent events make this report both timely and urgent. They have dramatically underscored the importance of an effective, comprehensive health information infrastructure that links all health decision makers, including the public. Based on public hearings about the NHII, the Committee has determined that Federal leadership, under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is the most important missing ingredient that could accelerate and coordinate progress on the NHII. Its recommendations therefore include specific proposals for HHS oversight and coordination, supportive action by Congress, and appropriate efforts by other organizations. The latter include State and local governments, healthcare providers, health plans and purchasers, standards development organizations, the information technology industry, consumer advocacy groups, community organizations, and academic and research organizations."

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services

  2001-11-15
• Healthy People in Healthy Communities: A Community Planning Guide Using Healthy People 2010

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  "This guide provides information about the steps involved in forming and running a healthy community coalition. It also includes 'Strategies for Success,' to help you get activities started in your community, plus resources, references, and a one page 'quick-aid' with hints for putting Healthy People 2010 to work for your community. Healthy People 2010, has two overarching goals: to increase the quality and years of healthy life of all Americans and to eliminate disparities in health status. Its vision is deceptively simple: Healthy People in Healthy Communities. But to reach these goals, to achieve this vision, we must all work together - individuals and communities alike."

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services

  2004
• Violence Prevention - Who's Responsible? Public Health, Criminal Justice, or Both

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  This document explains why a coordinated effort between the public health and criminal justice system is essential to reducing violence in the U.S. "Aside from the criminal justice costs associated with violence - that is property damage, security, prosecution, and incarceration - the most significant cost is the cost of shattered lives. Loss of quality of life and loss of productivity not only have significant public health implications but impact every facet of our society. Heavy emphasis on implementing public health programs geared toward violence prevention and early intervention is essential to reducing the toll that violence has on society."

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services

  2002
• Problem of Accessing Health Care

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  This document discusses the issue of healthcare and the problems associated with accessing it. According to the article, Hispanics are still the least likely to be insured. The article also discusses: children's health insurance, minority health perspectives, Indian health care, patients' Bill of Rights, Gay minorities access to health services, EPA's pesticide network, and new INS guidelines on public charge issues.

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services

  Meadows, Michelle

  1999-08
• Healthy People 2010 and Beyond

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  "The Healthy People 2010 objectives will also encompass the government's new Initiative to Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health, introduced by President Clinton earlier this year. The focus of the initiative is to close the gaps in health outcomes, particularly racial and ethnic disparities in diabetes, AIDS, heart disease, infant mortality, cancer screening and management, and immunizations. In conjunction with the Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities Initiative, the Healthy People 2010 objectives bring focus to disparities among racial and ethnic minorities, women, youth, the elderly, people of low income and education, and people with disabilities. Healthy People 2010 will aim to promote healthy behaviors, promote healthy and safe communities, improve systems for personal and public health, and prevent and reduce diseases and disorders. The initiative will provide a tool for monitoring and tracking health status, health risks, and use of health services. The framework includes 26 focus areas and objectives for specific populations."

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services

  1998-09
• Public Health Communications Response to the Influenza Vaccine Shortage

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  A review of the Pinellas County, Florida response to the influenza vaccine shortage in October 2004. Includes a summary of events and recommendations for other public health workers in similar situations.

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services

  2004
• Managing the Public Health Impacts of Hosting the 2002 Winter Olympics

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  "The Salt Lake City 2002 Winter Olympics and Paralympics were the largest mass gatherings to occur in the United States since the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. During the Olympics, a six county area in Utah experienced an average population increase of 100,000 people per day over a 17 day period. In addition, an estimated 3.5 billion people around the world watched some portion of the 2002 Olympics on television each day, bringing international press attention and creating a high profile potential platform for terrorist activity. Lessons learned from this event can provide valuable information for communities hosting other large-scale events including religious and political gatherings, music festivals, and sports competitions that challenge local public health capacity due to attendance, duration, health risks, and security concerns."

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services

  Utah. Department of Health

  2002
• U.S. Department of Health & Human Services [website]

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  The United States Department of Health and Human Services is the United States government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves. It contains a wealth of information on: diseases and conditions; safety and wellness; drug and food information; disasters and emergencies; grants and funding; reference collections; families and children; aging; specific populations; resource locators; and policies and regulations.

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services
• What You Should Know about the Emotional Impact of Chemical Terrorism

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  This document is an overview of the emotional and psychological impacts of chemical terrorism. It puts a particular focus on the impact of chemical terrorism on children and how parents/guardians can help children cope.

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services
• Mental Health Response to Mass Violence and Terrorism: A Field Guide

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  "This Field Guide is intended for mental health and disaster workers; first responders; government agency employees; and crime victim assistance, faith-based, healthcare, and other service providers who assist survivors and families during the aftermath of mass violence and terrorism. All who come in contact with victims and families can contribute to restoring their dignity and sense of control by interacting with sensitivity, kindness, and respect. This Field Guide provides the basics of responding to those in crisis."

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services

  2005
• Hospital Quality Initiative Overview: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

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  "Quality health care is a high priority for the Bush administration, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). In November 2001, HHS announced the Quality Initiative to assure quality health care for all Americans through accountability and public disclosure. The Initiative is intended to (a) empower consumers with quality of care information to make more informed decisions about their health care, and (b) encourage providers and clinicians to improve the quality of health care. The Quality Initiative was launched nationally in November 2002 for nursing homes, and was expanded in 2003 to the nation's home health care agencies and hospitals. In 2004, the Quality Initiative was further expanded to officially include kidney dialysis facilities that provide services for patients with ESRD. This comprehensive approach to improving healthcare quality also includes the Doctor's Office Quality-Information Technology (DOQ-IT) project."

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services

  2005-12
• Importance of Evidence-Based Disaster Planning

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  "Disaster planning is only as good as the assumptions on which it is based. However, some of these assumptions are derived from a conventional wisdom that is at variance with empirical field disaster research studies. Knowledge of disaster research findings might help planners avoid common disaster management pitfalls, thereby improving disaster response planning. To illustrate the point, this article examines several common assumptions about disasters, compares them with research findings, and discusses the implications for planning...Numerous responders and planners who have been involved in disaster events have written articles reporting lessons learned in these events. A review of this literature, however, shows that many of the problems experienced in planning and responding to disasters seem to be 'learned' over and over again in disaster after disaster. Although the reasons for this are complex, a significant contributing factor is that disaster planning is only as good as the assumptions on which it is based. Knowledge based on systematically collected data from field disaster research studies might help planners avoid common disaster management pitfalls, thereby improving disaster response planning. The focus of this article is on research dealing with operational and organizational emergency medical response issues in domestic, peacetime disasters."

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services

  Auf der Heide, Erik

  2005-05-15
• Diseases Transmitted by Foods: A Classification and Summary

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  "This reference summarizes the following data: etiologic agents and their nature, sources and important reservoirs, epidemiology, foods frequently involved in outbreaks, specimens and samples to take in outbreak investigations, laboratory approaches, and general control measures of foodborne diseases that have been reported throughout the world, This information is organized far rapid review and comparison of the same kinds of data about different diseases. Diseases transmitted by foods are frequently classified either as poisonings or infections. Poisonings are caused by ingesting toxicants that are found in tissues of certain plants and animals, metabolic products (toxins) formed and excreted by microorganisms(such as bacteria, fungi, or algae) while they multiply in foods, or poisonous substances that may be intentionally or incidentally added to foods as a result of producing, processing, transporting, or storing. Infections are caused by the entrance of pathogenic microorganisms into the body and the reaction of body tissues to their presence or to the toxins they generate within the body. Intestinal infections may be manifested by in vivo enterotoxin production or mucosal penetration. After mucosal penetration, the organisms multiply in the mucosa or pass into other tissues. This classification is illustrated on the adjacent page. In this reference, the foodborne diseases are classified on the basis of the type of agent responsible for the illness--bacterial, viral and rickettsial, parasitic (protozoan, cestodes, nematodes, trematodes, helrninths,fungal (mycotoxin or mushroom), poisonous plants, toxic animals, poisonous chemicals, and radionuclides. In each category, the diseases of contemporary importance are listed first. The relative importance of each disease does, however, vary from time to time and from place to place. This reference also includes diseases that have been reported as being foodborne even though proof is lacking. It also includes diseases in which the causative agent has been found in foods but transmission through foods is unknown, and enteric diseases in which the transmission through foods is possible."

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services

  Bryan, Frank L.

  1982