HHS Continues to Strengthen Umbrella of Protection from Bioterrorism
9/10/2004 5:25:00 PM
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To: National Desk
Contact: HHS Press Office, 202-690-6343; Web: http://www.hhs.gov/
WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 /U.S. Newswire/ -- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson said the third anniversary of the worst attack on American soil marks a time to remember the lives lost and their families, take measure of the tremendous progress made in bolstering our nation's preparedness for another attack, and reaffirm our commitment to further strengthening our nation's public health system.
Since Sept. 11, 2001, the nation's public health infrastructure has been strengthened, hospitals' surge capacities have grown, new science to limit the dangers of bioterrorism have been created, and antidotes to deadly agents and other medical countermeasures have been produced and stockpiled. Yet, Secretary Thompson warns there is more work to do and the nation must remain vigilant and dedicated to further strengthening our public health system and preparedness for a terrorist attack.
"The evil of the terrorist mind is difficult to comprehend but too dangerous to ignore," Secretary Thompson said. "Because of that, we must continue preparing for every contingency, every possibility -- including the use of biological and chemical agents in an attack on our citizens."
President Bush is proud of the progress the nation has made since Sept. 11, but continues to push America forward in its ability to protect the homeland and respond to another attack, Secretary Thompson said.
"It truly is remarkable how far we've come in three short years," Secretary Thompson said. "From Washington to Main Street, we're better able to protect our citizens from bioterrorism. We've developed and stockpiled new medicines, and we're researching cutting-edge ways to further secure our citizens.
"We were able to strengthen our capabilities so quickly because of unprecedented cooperation between federal, state and local governments as well as the medical and public health communities. We must use these new partnerships to continue driving forward so that our public health infrastructure is as strong as possible. We must get stronger every day and never waver in our commitment to this task."
Strengthening the Public Health Infrastructure
Since Sept. 11, 2001, HHS has invested more than $4.1 billion in strengthening the nation's public health infrastructure. In three installments over the past three years, HHS has distributed funding to hospitals, health care facilities, states, territories, and four major metropolitan areas to strengthen the ability of government and public health agencies to respond to bioterror attacks, infectious diseases and natural disasters.
Hospitals will use the funds they receive from states to effect a rapid temporary expansion of bed capacity to accommodate mass casualties, increase isolation and decontamination capacity, identify qualified volunteer health care workers to augment hospital staff to deal with mass casualties, and plan for hospital-based and community ready pharmaceutical caches.
Public health departments in the states, territories and metro areas will use this funding to improve the readiness of the public health sector and other major health care providers to respond to bioterrorism and other public health emergencies.
Research, Development, and Manufacturing of Vaccines and Antidotes
Immediately following Sept. 11, HHS worked to secure enough smallpox vaccine for every man, woman, and child in America and funded additional research and technologies to combat bioterrorism.
smallpox vaccine.
Initial evaluation of treatments for radiation and chemical weapons exposure.
Biodefense medical research and development and related laboratory construction at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has been funded at more than $1.5 billion per year since fiscal year 2003, 30 times the investment in fiscal year 2001. NIH researchers are developing and evaluating new and improved treatments and vaccines against smallpox, anthrax, and, for the first time, Ebola, as well as other dangerous pathogens. This funding will cultivate and sustain a national network of researchers including the eight new Regional Centers of Excellence for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases Research (RCE).
Ensured Medicare Services to all Beneficiaries
After the attacks of Sept. 11, and all natural disasters, HHS' Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services guarantees payment of services to all health care providers who give services to Medicare beneficiaries, regardless of paperwork or other obstacles. During times of catastrophe, HHS' health care payment system continues to work and ensure the health care that Americans need.
Additional Funding to Community Health Centers in Affected Areas
HHS' Health Resources and Services Administration awarded $10 million to 33 New York City and northern New Jersey health centers to support services provided in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Community health centers normally provide care to thousands of residents who would not otherwise have access to health services.
Following the attacks, area centers saw substantially higher demand for their health care services, and the increased demand is expected to continue in the coming months, especially for grief counseling and other mental health services. Two centers near the World Trade Center had their operations briefly interrupted following the attacks. Others sent staff members to assist at area hospitals and the disaster site.
Established the Office of Public Health and Emergency Preparedness
HHS created the office to oversee the department's overall monitoring and response to man-made and natural disasters. It is the headquarters for the Secretary's Emergency Response Teams (SERTs) and the department's International Early Warning Surveillance efforts. It also provides funding for bioterrorism preparedness, planning, and evaluation.
Built a State-of-the-Art Operations Center
The $3.5 million Secretary's Operations Center (SOC) is manned 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. It provides the Secretary with instant information on public health emergencies across the country and potentially around the globe. The SOC is capable to engage video conferencing with a nearly infinite number of participants, track migrating diseases, and monitor world news.
Increased and Expanded the Strategic National Stockpile
HHS has expanded the stockpile to include antibiotics and a wide variety of supplies that would be needed in the event of an attack. In addition, the number of sites for ready deployment have increased from eight to 12, strategically located around the country. Stockpile of supplies could reach any location in the United States within 12 hours.
Improved Mental Health Services
Recognizing the immediate and long-term implications of mental health in the wake of traumatic events, Secretary Thompson directed HHS to commit resources and personnel to provide mental health services to those in need.
As early as Sept. 13, 2001, Secretary Thompson announced that HHS personnel were already working to coordinate crisis counseling programs for victims, their families, and the thousands of professional and volunteer rescue workers. That included the immediate release of $1 million in funding for New York to support mental health services and strategic planning for comprehensive and long-term support.
On Sept. 21, 2001, Secretary Th
services, HHS' Administration for Children and Families (ACF) provided $200,000 in emergency child care funds to the State of New York in the weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks.
Immediate Care for Seniors in Need
Immediately after the Sept. 11 attack, HHS released $1.3 million to assist older Americans affected by the attacks to ensure seniors continued to receive critical services such as meals, transportation, and health and mental care needs. This money was included in the $126.2 million announced Sept. 21.
Immediate Care for Refugees and Refugee Resettlement
ACF also awarded emergency grants to New York, Virginia, and the District of Columbia for services to refugees affected by the Sept. 11 attacks. These three grants, totaling $3.6 million, were made to provide additional services such as job training, job placement, English language training, and mental health services for refugees affected by the terrorist attacks.
Immediate and Continued Health Monitoring of Ground Zero Workers
HHS immediately committed $10.4 million to environmental hazard control, including $5 million for safety of emergency workers, with provision of respirators and ongoing health assessments of workers. It also provided $5.4 million in technical assistance for response to hazardous environmental exposures and potential needs related to asthma, including dilators, asthma surveillance, and tracking exposure to contaminants.
HHS' Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), with the assistance of the New York City Department of Public Health, created and maintains the World Trade Center Registry, which will enroll and monitor the health of up to 200,000 people who may have been exposed to harmful substances from the collapse of the World Trade Center. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health provided funding to establish the World Trade Center Worker and Volunteer Medical Screening Program. Through August 2004, the screening program has provided free standardized medical assessments, clinical referrals and occupational health education to nearly 12,000 workers and volunteers exposed to environmental contaminants, psychological stressors, and physical hazards.
Strengthened the United States Public Health Service
HHS reorganized the uniformed Public Health Service to make it more responsive in times of public health need. Currently, the 6,000 officers of the Commissioned Corps continue to undergo training exercises to effectively support state and local health officials during emergency situations.
Established the Medical Reserve Corps
The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is the medical component of President Bush's USA Freedom Corps Initiative. After the outpouring of support in the wake of Sept. 11, President Bush called on citizens to volunteer in their own communities setting up Citizen Corps volunteer programs. Including fiscal year 2005, nearly $23 million has been committed to establishing and building up local MRC units. To date there are more than 27,500 volunteers among 212 MRC units across the country.
