Saturday, August 13, 2022
8/13/2022
The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) is a cabinet-level agency, meaning the director reports to the governor and serves as a member of the Executive Branch of Ohio’s government. The ODH executive team helps the Director of Health formulate the agency’s strategic policy goals and objectives. The team is composed of the Chief of Staff, the Medical Director and the General Counsel. These leaders, along with agency senior-level managers and supervisors, work in tandem to ensure the state health department is responsive to the needs of Ohio’s 11.6 million residents. ODH’s mission is to protect and improve the health of all Ohioans by preventing disease, promoting good health and assuring access to quality care. The Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) cooperative agreement has been a critical source of funding for ODH and local public health departments throughout Ohio since 2002. Funds awarded assist Ohio in building and strengthening our ability to effectively respond to a range of public health threats, including infectious diseases, natural disasters, and biological, chemical, nuclear, and radiological events. ODH’s preparedness activities funded by the PHEP cooperative agreement specifically targets the development of emergency-ready public health departments that are flexible and resilient. The activities outlined in the 2019 ODH PHEP application are intended to increase or maintain Ohio’s level of effectiveness across six key public health preparedness domains and focus efforts on strengthening preparedness and response capabilities to prevent or reduce morbidity and mortality. As additional public health threats continue to emerge, ODH must ensure Ohio’s Emergency Support Function - 8 and public health systems remain effectively prepared and ready to respond; as the public health consequences of incidents or events whose scale, rapid onset, or unpredictability stresses the public health system. The 2019-2024 fiscal resources awarded will support ODH in the advancement of our ability to demonstrate response readiness by the end of the performance period. ODH’s strategies and activities below were established in accordance with the expectations and requirements of the PHEP NOFO. ODH intends to achieve the following program outcomes during the 2019-2024 performance period: • Timely implementation of public health intervention and control measures • Continuity of emergency operations throughout the surge of an emergency or incident • Timely communication of situational awareness and risk information by public health partners • Timely procurement and expedited staffing (hiring or reassignment) to support medical countermeasure distribution and dispensing • Timely coordination and support of response activities with health care and other partners • Earliest possible identification and investigation of an incident with public health impact ODH expects the outcomes identified above will lead to the following outcomes in future performance periods: • Established public health recommendations and control measures in place for all hazards • Prioritized public health services and resources sustained throughout all phases of public health incidents in Ohio • Continuity of and access to public health and related services in Ohio Ultimately, the outcomes above will: • Prevent or reduce morbidity and mortality in Ohio from public health incidents whose scale, rapid onset or unpredictability stresses the public health system, and • Result in the earliest possible recovery and return of the Ohio public health system to pre-incident levels or improved functioning.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
