Prevention and Public Health


Federal Agencies:

Administration for Children and Families (ACF) (http://www.acf.dhhs.gov)
Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is responsible for some 60 programs which provide services and assistance to needy children and families, administers the new Families, administers the national child support enforcement system, and the Head Start program, provides funds to assist low-income families in paying for child care, and supports state programs to provide for foster care and adoption assistance.

Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and Availability (http://www.hhs.gov/bloodsafety)
Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and Availability Secretary is responsible for carrying out research in health fields including diseases involving blood and blood products, and for issuing and enforcing regulations concerning the collection, preparation, and distribution of blood and blood products, and regulations related to the transmission of communicable diseases. The Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and Availability shall advise, assist, consult with, and make recommendations to the Secretary and the Assistant Secretary for Health regarding these broad responsibilities.

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) (http://www.ahrq.gov/)
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) supports research designed to improve the outcomes and quality of health care, reduce its costs, address patient safety and medical errors, and broaden access to effective services. The research sponsored, conducted, and disseminated by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) provides information that helps people make better decisions about health care.

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) (http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/)
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) works with states and other federal agencies to prevent exposure to hazardous substances from waste sites. The agency conducts public health assessments, health studies, surveillance activities, and health education training in communities around waste sites on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Priorities List.

Americans with Disabilities Act Home Page (http://ada.gov/)
Americans with Disabilities Act sets guidelines for accessibility to places of public accommodation and commercial facilities by individuals with disabilities. These guidelines are to be applied during the design, construction, and alteration of such buildings and facilities to the extent required by regulations issued by Federal agencies, including the Department of Justice, under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) (http://www.astho.org/)
The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) is the national nonprofit organization representing the state and territorial public health agencies of the United States, the U.S. Territories, and the District of Columbia. ASTHO's members, the chief health officials of these jurisdictions, are dedicated to formulating and influencing sound public health policy, and to assuring excellence in state-based public health practice.

Center for Disease Control (CDC) (http://www.cdc.gov/)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recognized as the lead federal agency for protecting the health and safety of people - at home and abroad, providing credible information to enhance health decisions, and promoting health through strong partnerships. CDC serves as the national focus for developing and applying disease prevention and control, environmental health, and health promotion and education activities designed to improve the health of the people of the United States. CDC Web sites of interest include:
• Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/lead.htm)
• National Immunization Program (http://www.cdc.gov/nip/)

ADA:

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) (http://www.cms.hhs.gov/about)
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) (formerly the Health Care Financing Administration) administers the Medicare and Medicaid programs, which provide health care to America's aged and indigent populations, about one in every four Americans, including nearly 18 million children and nursing home coverage for low-income elderly. CMS also administers the new Children's Health Insurance Program through approved state plans that cover more than 2.2 million children.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (http://www.fda.gov/)
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) assures the safety of foods and cosmetics, and the safety and efficacy of pharmaceuticals, biological products and medical devices

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) (http://www.hrsa.gov/)
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) helps provide health resources for medically underserved populations. HRSA supports a nationwide network of 643 community and migrant health centers, and 144 primary care programs for the homeless and residents of public housing, serving 8.1 million Americans each year. HRSA also works to build the health care workforce and maintains the National Health Service Corps, oversees the nation's organ transplantation system, works to decrease infant mortality and improve child health and provides services to people with AIDS through the Ryan White CARE Act programs.

Indian Health Service (IHS) (http://www.ihs.gov/)
Indian Health Service (IHS) supports a network of 37 hospitals, 60 health centers, 3 school health centers, 46 health stations and 34 urban Indian health centers to provide services to nearly 1.5 million American Indians and Alaska Natives of 557 federally recognized tribes.

Library of Congress (http://www.lcweb.loc.gov/)
The Library of Congress is the nation's oldest federal cultural institution, and it serves as the research arm of Congress. The Library's mission is to make its resources available and useful to the Congress and the American people and to sustain and preserve a universal collection of knowledge and creativity for future generations.

National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) (http://www.naccho.org/)
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) is the national nonprofit organization representing local public health agencies (including city, county, metro, district, and Tribal agencies). NACCHO provides education, information, research, and technical assistance to local health departments and facilitates partnerships among local, state, and federal agencies in order to promote and strengthen public health.

The Department of Health and Human Services (www.hhs.gov)
The Department of Health and Human Services include more than 300 programs, covering a wide spectrum of activities. The 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.

National Institutes of Health (NIH) (http://www.nih.gov/)
National Institutes of Health (NIH), with 27 separate institutes, is the world's premier medical research organization, supporting thousands of research projects nationwide in diseases like cancer, Alzheimer's, diabetes, arthritis, heart ailments and AIDS.

Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) (http://odphp.osophs.dhhs.gov/)
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion works to strengthen the disease prevention and health promotion priorities of the Department within the collaborative framework of the HHS agencies.

Office of Global Health Affairs (OGHA) (http://www.globalhealth.gov/)
The Office of Global Health Affairs (OGHA) is responsible for:Representing the Department to other governments, other Federal Departments and agencies, international organizations, and the private sector on international and refugee health issues; Developing U.S. policy and strategy positions related to health issues and facilitating involvement of the Public Health Service in support of these positions and in collaboration with other agencies and organizations; Providing leadership and coordination for bilateral programs with selected countries, such as the U.S. Russian and U.S. South Africa Health Committee, in support of Presidential and Vice Presidential initiatives; Facilitating cooperation by Public Health Service Operating Divisions with the Agency for International Development; Providing policy guidance and coordination on refugee health policy issues, in collaboration with Public Health Service Operating Divisions, the Office of Refugee Resettlement, the Department of State, and others.

Office of Minority Health Resource Center (OMH-RC) (http://www.omhrc.gov/)
The Office of Minority Health Resource Center (OMH-RC) serves as a national resource and referral service on minority health issues. The center collects and distributes information on a wide variety of health topics, including substance abuse, cancer, heart disease, violence, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and infant mortality. The Resource Center also facilitates the exchange of information on minority health issues. The OMH-RC offers customized database searches, publications, mailing lists, referrals, and more regarding American Indian and Alaska Native, African American, Asian American and Pacific Islander, and Hispanic populations.

Office of Public Health and Science (OPHS) (http://www.osophs.dhhs.gov/ophs/)
The Office of Public Health and Science (OPHS) is under the direction of the Assistant Secretary for Health, who serves as the Senior Advisor on public health and science issues to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). The Office serves as the focal point for leadership and coordination across the Department in public health and science; provides direction to program offices within OPHS; and provides advice and counsel on public health and science issues to the Secretary.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) (http://www.samhsa.gov/)
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) works to improve the quality and availability of substance abuse prevention, addiction treatment, and mental health services. SAMHSA is the Federal agency charged with improving the quality and availability of prevention, treatment, and rehabilitative services in order to reduce illness, death, disability, and cost to society resulting from substance abuse and mental illnesses.

Bioterrorism:

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Children, Terrorism & Disaster (http://www.aap.org/terrorism/index.html)
American Academy of Pediatrics web site devoted to disaster preparedness and meeting the needs children. Topics addressed include biological, chemical, nuclear, and thermo/ mechanical agents, psychosocial aspects, disaster planning, and public policy.

Center for Disease Control (CDC): Small Pox (http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/index.asp)
Smallpox is a serious, contagious, and sometimes fatal infectious disease. There is no specific treatment for smallpox disease, and the only prevention is vaccination. This site is designed to answer questions about smallpox and the vaccination.

Center for the Study of Bioterrorism (CSB) (http://bioterrorism.slu.edu/)
St. Louis University School of Public Health works to provide public health and health care facilities with the tools needed for preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation of intentional or naturally occurring outbreaks. CBS web site provides references, news items, official remarks & reports (eg chronology of congressional testimony, presidential remarks and governments reports), published articles on bioterrorism events or potential bioterrorist agents.

US FDA Bioterrorism (http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/bioterrorism.html)
The US FDA has created an information page dedicated to the understanding of bioterrorism. Included on this page is information about Anthrax (vaccine/treatments), the Bioterrorism Act of 2002, Public Health Initiatives/ Actions/Preparedness, Small pox information and other biological agents.

Maternal and Child Health:

Association of Maternal and Child Programs (AMCHP) (http://www.amchp.org/)
The Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs is the national organization representing state public health leaders and other interested individuals and organizations working to improve the health and well being of women, children, youth and families, including those with special health care needs.

Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) (http://www.mchb.hrsa.gov/)
Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), a bureau of the Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services the Maternal and Child Health Services. The bureau provides programs and structure for assuring the health of American mothers and children. Web site provides list of programs, funding opportunities, resources, publications and links.

The National Center of Medical Home Initiatives for Children with Special Needs (http://www.medicalhomeinfo.org/)
The National Center of Medical Home Initiatives for Children with Special Needs provides support to physicians, families, and other medical and non-medical providers who care for children with special needs so that they have access to a medical home. The mission of the National Center is to work in cooperation with federal agencies, particularly the MCHB, to ensure that children with special needs have access to a medical home. The National Center provides support to physicians, families, and other medical and non-medical providers who care for children with special needs.

State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) (http://cms.hhs.gov/schip/)
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) informational web site on the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) is intended to provide materials of interest to various audiences regarding the passage of SCHIP, also known as Title XXI. On this site you can find SCHIP State Plan Information, Enrollment Information, Immigrant Eligibility, Legislation, SCHIP Regulations and Allotment Notices, and SCHIP-Related White House and Department Information.

Private and University Agencies:

Annie E. Casey Foundation (AECF) (http://www.aecf.org/)
The Annie E. Casey Foundation (AECF) works to build better futures for disadvantaged children and their families in the United States. The primary mission of the Foundation is to foster public policies, human service reforms, and community supports that more effectively meet the needs of today's vulnerable children and families. Available on the site is KIDS COUNT, which has compiled indicators of child well-being from the 2000 U.S. Census and created an interactive online database. The site consists of data from the Census Short Form and is being updated weekly as the Census Bureau releases new data from the Long Form. Rankings on socioeconomic indicators will be available after all 50 states have been released.

Center for Health Services Research and Policy (George Washington University) (http://www.gwumc.edu/sphhs/healthpolicy/)
The George Washington University Center for Health Services Research and Policy is dedicated to providing policy makers, public health officials, health care administrators, and advocates with the information and ideas they need to improve access to quality, affordable health care. The Center's research and policy agenda reflects that goal, spanning a wide-range of timely topics related to the structure, financing and delivery of health care services.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (http://www.rwjf.org/)
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation was established as a national philanthropy. It is devoted to improving the health and health care of all Americans. The foundation concentrates its grant-making in four areas: 1.) to assure that all Americans have access to basic health care at reasonable cost; 2.) to improve care and support for people with chronic health conditions; 3.) to promote healthy communities and lifestyles; and 3.) to reduce the personal, social and economic harm caused by substance abuse -tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs.

Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) (http://www.sophe.org/)
SOPHE is an independent, international professional association made up of a diverse membership of health education professionals and students. The Society promotes healthy behaviors, healthy communities, and healthy environments through its membership, its network of local chapters, and its numerous partnerships with other organizations. With its primary focus on public health education, SOPHE provides leadership through a code of ethics, standard for professional preparation, research, and practice; professional development; and public outreach.

Medical Organizations and Resources:

American Dental Association (ADA) (http://www.ada.org/)
The ADA is the professional association of dentists committed to the public's oral health, ethics, science and professional advancement; leading a unified profession through initiatives in advocacy, education, research and the development of standards.

American Medical Association (AMA) (http://www.ama-assn.org/)
The American Medical Association (AMA) is a national professional organization committed to medical standards, ethics, excellence in education and practice, and advocacy on behalf of the medical profession and the patients it serves. The work of the AMA includes developing and promoting standards in medical practice, research, and education; advocating on behalf of patients and physicians; and providing timely information about matters important to the health of Americans. Policies are developed through a democratic process that brings together informed viewpoints on issues important to physicians and patients.

American Academy of Pediatrics (http://www.aap.org/)
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and its member pediatricians dedicate their efforts and resources to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. The mission of the American Academy of Pediatrics is to attain optimal physical, mental and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents and young adults. To this purpose, the AAP and its members dedicate their efforts and resources.

American Medical Student Association (AMSA) (http://www.amsa.org/)
The American Medical Student Association is committed to improving health care and healthcare delivery to all people; promoting active improvement in medical education; involving its members in the social, moral and ethical obligations of the profession of medicine; assisting in the improvement and understanding of world health problems; contributing to the welfare of medical students, interns, residents and post-MD/DO trainees; and advancing the profession of medicine.

American Public Health Association (APHA) (http://www.apha.org/)
American Public Health Association (APHA) brings together researchers, health service providers, administrators, teachers, and other health workers in a unique, multidisciplinary environment of professional exchange, study, and action. APHA is concerned with a broad set of issues affecting personal and environmental health, including federal and state funding for health programs, pollution control, programs and policies related to chronic and infectious diseases, a smoke-free society, and professional education in public health.

Healthfinder (http://www.healthfinder.gov/)
Healthfinder provides hand-picked health information from A to Z - prevention & wellness, diseases & conditions, and alternative medicine - plus medical dictionaries, an encyclopedia, journals, and more. Special health topics organized by age from kids to seniors, by race and ethnicity, for men and women, and for parents, caregivers, health professionals, and others.

Public Health Service (PHS) (http://www.usphs.gov/)
The Public Health Service (PHS) Commissioned Corps was established to provide highly-trained and mobile health professionals who carry out programs to promote the health of the Nation, understand and prevent disease and injury, assure safe and effective drugs and medical devices, deliver health services to Federal beneficiaries, and furnish health expertise in time of war or other national or international emergencies.

Policy:

Health People 2010 (HP2010) (http://www.healthypeople.gov/)
Healthy People 2010 is the prevention agenda for the Nation. It is a statement of national health objectives designed to identify the most significant preventable threats to health and to establish national goals to reduce these threats.

Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report (http://www.kaisernetwork.org/)
The mission of the Kaiser Family Foundation is to provide timely, reliable, and nonpartisan information on national health issues to policy makers, the media, and he general public. To advance that mission, the Foundation has established kaisernetwork.org. Kaisernetwork.org is the premier online resource for timely and in-depth coverage of health policy news, debates and discussions. This free and comprehensive multimedia service connects users to the events, people, information, and research that shape health policy.

Politics Now (http://www.politicsnow.com/)
A weekly political roundup published by NationalJournal.com which is a subscription-based service geared toward media, government and campaign professionals. However, we also offer a wide range of coverage for the general public

Roll Call (http://www.rollcall.com/)
Roll Call is a leading source for Congressional news and information. Roll Call offers news features, commentary, election previews and special issues throughout the year, giving both print and Web readers an opportunity to get an insider's view on Congress.