Department of Health and Human Services

June 17, 2004 Contact: CDC Press Office 404-639-3286

HHS Awards $849 Million To Improve Public Health Preparedness

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced an additional $849 million in awards to 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.

"This funding is a critical component to our national security," Secretary Thompson said. "Our state and local public health system is the first line of defense when it comes to detection, reporting and containing a terrorist attack, an infectious disease outbreak or any other public health emergency."

This funding is in addition to $498 million released earlier this month by HHS' Health Resources Services Agency to strengthen hospitals and improve overall response capability. All totaled since Sept. 11, 2001, HHS has invested more than $3.7 billion in strengthening the nation's public health infrastructure.

"We're better prepared to respond to public health emergencies than ever before," said Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "We have more work to do, but these funds will go a long way to further ensure states and local governments are prepared to respond to public health emergencies."

HHS' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will distribute the federal funds to enhance the capabilities of public health departments in the states, territories and metro areas (New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles County and Washington, D.C.). The money will be used to improve the readiness of the public health sector and other major health care providers to respond to bioterrorism and other public health emergencies.

Recipients will be able to use the funds in a number of ways to improve public health and emergency response. These include improving communication and coordination between hospitals and local and state health departments, and their laboratories, while bolstering epidemiology and disease surveillance in state and local areas by increasing the number of people trained in emergency response.

FY 2004 awards from the Public Health Preparedness and Response Cooperative Agreement are available at www.hhs.gov/news/press/2004pres/20040617.html.

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Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at www.hhs.gov/news