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Transformation of the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health ServiceThank you, Dr. Carmona, for that warm introduction. Thank you for your passion. You are an excellent Surgeon General and a friend. I am proud of how you have commanded the Commissioned Corps and how you have reminded Americans how to lead strong, healthy, and independent lives. I would also like to thank Dr. Duke, General Taylor, Admiral Venuto, and Mr. Tangeman. This is a wonderful day. This is my goal as Secretary: to do everything that I possibly can to ensure that Americans are strong, healthy, and independent. We have worked with Congress to strengthen and modernize Medicare with more choices and better benefits. We have expanded access to health care to 2.2 million Americans who lacked health insurance and expanded the range of benefits offered to 6.7 million other Americans. We have led the fight in prevention, one of my passions, since it is more effective to keep people healthy than it is to let them get sick before they are treated. And there are so many health problems in America today caused by the lifestyle choices that people make everyday: obesity, diabetes, and so many more. And a critical component of our team is the Public Health Service. Some people don't realize it, but many of our path-breaking agencies, such as CDC, FDA, and NIH, are part of the Public Health Service. The Public Health Service has built a remarkable record of keeping America healthy. And many of its successes and the founding of most of its agencies have been spearheaded by the elite team of health care professionals of the Commissioned Corps. The Commissioned Corps has a long and impressive history of service to the health and well being of Americans. Its officers have risen to the increasing challenges of public health. The Commissioned Corps was officially created in 1889, after having been organized 17 years earlier by regulations, in order to fulfill a specific need: the health care shortages in the Marine Hospital Service. Over the next century, men and women of the Commissioned Corps were deployed across America and across the world to address the challenges posed by infectious diseases, mass immigration, research and innovation, food regulation, medical relief for disasters, and more - many of the same issues that we face today. As we stare into an uncertain future of possible terrorist attacks, natural disasters, as well as emerging infectious diseases, the President and the American people must know that they can depend on their Public Health Service to aid them in times of need. And no one is better suited to respond to their needs than the officers of the Commissioned Corps. The Corps has always been able to adapt to the urgent needs of each generation. I am delighted to propose today the transformation of the Commissioned Corps to meet these challenges. We have been working on this for a long time. The Corps' size, shape, and response capabilities will evolve into a more mobile cadre of health care and public health professionals. This will be the biggest and most sweeping transformation in the history of the Corps and will bring it into parity with its sister uniformed services. And I know that Dr. Carmona and the dedicated officers of the Corps will make it the most successful transformation as well. We are going to streamline the Commissioned Corps while increasing its size and scope, in order to meet the demands of public health and primary care and the challenges of bioterrorism. Some areas of the country lack adequate health care providers. We are going to develop new and innovative ways for the Corps to increase the number of professionals available to address primary care, particularly in areas that have traditionally suffered with problems of access. The Corps will also restore the use of warrant grades in the Corps in order to recognize the value of associate-degree trained registered nurses, and take advantage of the availability of licensed technical professionals who can work as teams to extend the capacities of physicians, dentists, pharmacists, and others. We will also work to create scholarships to fund as many as 1000 nurses and 100 doctors per year to work in medically underserved areas. Many American Indians are not receiving the health care they need. So the Corps will recruit at least 275 new officers to support the Indian Health Service. We will phase out the existing Commissioned Corps Readiness Force structure and replace it with a revised system designed to bring the status of the Commissioned Corps to 100% deployability by the end of 2005. We will also improve the Corps' management and development structure. We have directed the establishment of a modern system of "total force management" that will report to the Assistant Secretary for Health who reports directly to me. I have charged our new Office of Commissioned Corps Force Management to work with the Office of the Surgeon General to assure that all of the agencies served by the Corps and the Surgeon General have access to the professional resources needed to fulfill your, and our, missions. We need to recognize the importance of a strong and vigorous reserve components program as part of our total force approach. So I have authorized the formal establishment of an Office of Reserve Affairs within the Office of the Surgeon General. The first task it will undertake will be to develop rapidly a program of direct commissioning into the reserve. And we need to meet pressing primary care, prevention, and public health needs in the country. So I have ordered the use of short-term duty missions and rolling deployments to address Presidential and Secretarial initiatives. We will use mixed teams of both active and reserve officers to be fielded for two to three week periods of rolling deployments in high need areas. They will address deficiencies in childhood immunization. They will conduct diabetes detection and prevention programs. They will assist local officials in organizing their own communities to confront public health issues. They will be prepared to deal with a terrorist attack. And they will be ready to act on a moment's notice when the President or the Secretary need them to respond to threats and needs in America and around the world. We live in exceptionally tight budget times. Because of this I recognize and appreciate all the more clearly the importance and the value of improving the Corps - both in size and skill - in order to meet America's needs. I have seen to it that the Transformation Initiative will receive $2 million in Fiscal Year 2003 and have requested additional funds for Fiscal Year 2004. The majority of these funds will be directed towards active duty and reserve component recruitment and training. Ladies and Gentlemen, we are at a turning point. Today is a first step in a transformation project that will test our resolve and our ability to act upon the President's agenda. When the changes are made into law, I know that under the leadership of the Assistant Secretary for Health and the Surgeon General's field command you will rise to this occasion. The Commissioned Corps will be forever changed. By responding to the public health and emergency needs across the county and around the world, the Commissioned Corps' productive and successful past lays the foundation for a great future of service. God bless you, God bless your work, and God bless the United States of America. Last Revised: July 3, 2003 |
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