Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (ASH)
The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health oversees 14 core public health offices — including the Office of the Surgeon General and the US Public Health Service Corps — as well as 10 regional health offices across the nation and 10 Presidential and Secretarial advisory committees.
New National Vaccine Plan On February 16, the Assistant Secretary for Health Dr. Howard Koh unveiled the 2010 National Vaccine Plan, the nation’s 10-year strategy to ensure that all Americans can access the preventive benefits of vaccines. The plan offers innovative approaches to improve delivery of existing vaccines and to spur development of new products to prevent infectious disease. |
Offices of the Assistant Secretary for Health
The following offices under the Assistant Secretary for Health are cornerstones for delivery of public health services.
- Office of the Surgeon General (OSG): Provides Americans the best scientific information available on how to improve their health and reduce their risk of illness and injury. The Office also manages the operations of the Commissioned Corps of the US Public Health Service.
- National Vaccine Program Office (NVPO): Ensures collaboration among the many federal agencies involved in vaccine and immunization activities.
- Office of Adolescent Health (OAH): Coordinates adolescent health promotion and disease prevention initiatives across HHS.
- Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP): Provides leadership, coordination and policy development for public health and prevention activities. Leads the Healthy People initiative for HHS.
- Office of Healthcare Quality (OHQ): Leads and coordinates cross-cutting issues that strengthen the health system and improve the quality of healthcare across the United States.
- Office of HIV/AIDS Policy (OHAP): Office of HIV/AIDS Policy (OHAP): The Office of HIV/AIDS policy is responsible for coordinating, integrating, and directing the Department’s policies, programs, and activities related to HIV/AIDS.
- Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP): Supports, strengthens and provides leadership to the nation’s system for protecting volunteers in research conducted or supported by HHS.
- Office of Minority Health (OMH): Addresses health status and quality of life for minority populations in the United States.
- Office of Population Affairs (OPA): Advises on issues related to family planning and population affairs.
- Office of Research Integrity (ORI): Promotes integrity in research programs of the Public Health Service, both intramural and extramural, and responds to allegations of research misconduct.
- Office on Women’s Health (OWH): Improves the health of American women by advancing a comprehensive women’s health agenda throughout HHS.
Advisory Committees
- Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and Availability (ACBSA): Advises on issues related to blood and blood products.
- Advisory Committee on Minority Health (ACMN): Advises on ways to improve the health of minority populations through HHS program activities.
- Advisory Committee on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health (ACPHPIPH): Provides coordination and leadership at the federal level, and among all executive departments and agencies, with respect to prevention, wellness and health promotion practices, the public health system, and integrative health care in the United States.
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Advisory Committee (CFSAC): Advises on issues related to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
- National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC): Advises on matters related to National Vaccine Program Office responsibilities.
- Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA): Advises on programs and policies related to HIV/AIDS prevention and research.
- Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues: Advises on ethical issues related to advances in biomedical science and technology.
- President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition (PCFSN): Advises on issues related to fitness, sports and nutrition in America.
- Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Human Research Protections Advises on issues and topics pertaining to or associated with the protection of human research subjects.
- Secretary’s Advisory Committee on National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives for 2020: Advises on the development and implementation of the national health promotion and disease prevention objectives for “Healthy People 2020.”