About Us

The Office of Public Health and Environmental Hazards is responsible for issues which require the application of sound principals of public health:  healthcare geared toward populations and their unique characteristics in addition to individuals.   These populations include Vietnam veterans, Gulf War veterans, atomic veterans, veterans with cold injuries, and others who have experienced environmental exposures during military service, as well as veterans with HIV/AIDS and/or hepatitis C, veterans exposed to tobacco smoke and/or those who need to quit smoking, and women veterans.  (Women veterans make up only 4% of the veteran population but the percentage is growing, and providing for their unique healthcare needs is a challenge in a system which serves 96% males.)  In addition, the Office of Public Health and Environmental Hazards helps catalyze and coordinate VHA preparedness for responses to biological, radiological or chemical terrorism events.

The Office serves these sometimes seemingly unrelated populations through:

• Policy development,
• Protocol development and dissemination,
• Management of data bases related to exposures and monitoring veterans' health
• Development of educational programs for employees,
• Dissemination of information to veterans and clinicians,
• The review and analysis of proposed and pending legislation,
• Liaison with the Compensation and Pension Service in the Veterans Benefits Administration,
• Technical assistance to the field, which includes both medical centers and VISNs,
• Participation in congressional hearings, interagency committees and other stakeholder groups.

The Office includes the Occupational and Environmental Health Strategic Health Group, made up of the Occupational Safety and Health Program, Environmental Agents Service and the War-Related Illness and Injury Centers; the Public Health Strategic Health Care Group, consisting of the HIV and Hepatitis C Program, Center for HIV Research Resources, Center for Quality Management in Public Health and the Public Health National Prevention Program; the Emergency Management Strategic Healthcare Group; Environmental Epidemiology Service; and the Women Veterans Health Program.