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.
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