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GAO-25-107633 1 (2024-12-20)

handle is hein.gao/gaorge0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Why This Matters Key Takeaways Recent public health emergencies-such as the COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricanes Maria and Irma that caused catastrophic loss of life and destruction- have highlighted the importance of coordination among the federal agencies responsible for responding to such incidents. The ability of these agencies to seamlessly work together is critical to national preparedness and to ensuring an effective response to public health emergencies. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is responsible for leading the federal public health and medical response to public health emergencies and other incidents. In recent years, GAO and others have expressed concerns about HHS's leadership and coordination of public health emergencies. GAO added this area to our High- Risk List in 2022, citing the critical need for the nation to be prepared for, and effectively respond to, future public health threats and emergencies.' The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, includes a provision for GAO to report on HHS's interagency agreements and efforts to coordinate with other relevant federal agencies.2 This report describes the guidance and statutory authorities available to HHS to coordinate the federal response to public health emergencies and its general approach for such coordination. * HHS relies on national guidance and some interagency agreements to coordinate the response to public health emergencies. * HHS officials told us the department has not used its statutory authorities to establish an interagency agreement where it assumes operational control of other agencies' emergency public health and medical response assets or to coordinate with federal departments and agencies, primarily because the national guidance is sufficient to coordinate a response. What guidance and The National Response Framework provides guidance on how the nation authorities are available responds to all types of disasters and emergencies.3 The framework includes 15 to HHS to coordinate emergency support functions (ESF) that provide the structure for coordinating the federal response to federal support during a national response. a public health Within HHS, the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response emergency? (ASPR) is the lead agency for ESF #8-the public health and medical services response. Under ESF #8, ASPR is responsible for coordinating with federal agencies to conduct a variety of activities including assessment of public health and medical needs, patient evacuation, patient care, the provision of medical equipment and supplies, and public health communication. HHS also has statutory authority to enter into interagency agreements and to coordinate with other federal departments and agencies as part of a public health emergency response. For example:

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