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CDC/ATSDR Director’s Commissioned Corps Policy Advisory Committee Charter
August 2011

Rationale

The officers of the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) have a uniquely important role in carrying out the mission of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). The CDC/ATSDR Director’s Commissioned Corps Policy Advisory Committee (CCPAC) has been chartered by the CDC/ATSDR Director to assist the Director in effectively addressing ongoing changes in the PHS Commissioned Corps. In particular, the CCPAC is charged with helping the Director to assess and to manage issues arising from the evolving relationship of CDC/ATSDR and the PHS Commissioned Corps

Functions

CCPAC will advise the CDC/ATSDR Director and assist the CDC/ATSDR Office of Commissioned Corps Personnel to develop and establish policies and procedures specific to CDC/ATSDR. In addition, the CCPAC will work with the designated CDC/ATSDR Commanding Flag Officer, Director of CDC/ATSDR Commissioned Corps Personnel Office, and other CDC/ATSDR Flag Officers to assist the CDC/ATSDR leadership in obtaining input for PHS Commissioned Corps policy proposals that are under development.
  1. The Committee will serve as a forum for discussion and evaluation of officers’ questions and concerns regarding the relationship of the PHS Commissioned Corps to the CDC/ATSDR mission
  2. The Committee will support and facilitate communication to officers of timely information from the various meetings taking place in Rockville and Washington and from other relevant and reliable sources about the future and current activities of the Corps.
  3. Officers on the CCPAC will be involved in the chain of communication on ongoing issues and developments and will communicate such information back to other officers at CDC and ATSDR as may be appropriate and in ways to be determined by the full CCPAC.
  4. The Committee will provide input
    1. On PHS Commissioned Corps wide policies that have not been articulated or are insufficiently specific.
    2. On the possible need for CDC/ATSDR to propose new initiatives or policies to the PHS Commissioned Corps.
    3. When tasked by CDC/ATSDR Director or the CDC/ATSDR Office of Commissioned Corps Personnel to assess existing or proposed policies or to contribute to the development of new policies to meet emerging needs.
  5. A major focus of the CCPAC will be to provide guidance on how existing, proposed, or developing policies may affect CDC/ATSDR’s workforce and its ability to carry out its mission.

Structure

1. Membership

The Chair and Vice-Chair and their alternates serve as CCPAC members. Additional CCPAC members will be drawn from CDC/ATSDR officers volunteering for membership on the CCPAC with the exception of one member representing the CDC/ATSDR Centers, Institutes and Offices (CIOs) Liaison Officers Group (CIO Liaison Officers). In addition, the Epidemic Intelligence Service Program will have a Liaison on the CCPAC. The member representing the CIO Liaison Officers will be selected by the members of that group.

Officers serve as CCPAC members at the pleasure of the CDC Director, but in general, they will be chosen based on recommendations of the Chair and Vice Chair according to the following criteria:

  1. Demonstrated level of knowledge/interest in Corps affairs
  2. Diversity of rank, category, geographic location, race/ethnicity, and gender, in order to achieve broad representation

Voting members include the Chair, Vice-Chair, their alternates, and members.

In addition to membership noted above, all CIO Liaison Officers are required to attend all CCPAC meetings to facilitate information sharing and provide input on policy recommendations by the CCPAC to address ongoing changes in the PHS Commissioned Corps.

2. Chair and Vice-Chair

The CDC and ATSDR representatives to the Surgeon General’s Professional Advisory Committee (SGPAC) will serve as Chair and Vice-Chair respectively. They and their two alternates to the SGPAC will serve as an executive committee.

3. Term of Service

Normally, members will each serve a term of three (3) years. To avoid excessive turnover at any given time, terms will be staggered, with one third of the Committee rotating off and being replaced by new members each year. Accordingly, the initial members will serve one, two, or three years, as determined by lot. The CCPAC member representing the CIO Liaison Officers will serve for the length of their tenure with the CDC/ATSDR CIO Liaison Officers Group or three (3) years, whichever is shorter. All other CCPAC members will be limited to a maximum of two terms.

4. Support Services

As possible support services will be provided by the CDC/ATSDR Office of Commissioned Corps Personnel

5. Meetings

The CCPAC will meet monthly to carry out its functions. Additional meetings may be called by the Chair or Vice-Chair as necessary.

6. Subcommittees

On an as-needed basis, subcommittees may be formed to address specific issues. Subcommittees may utilize all relevant expertise and person-power available, including the services of non-member officers.

7. Report

The CCPAC will report to the CDC Chief of Staff on a quarterly basis.

Duration

The CCPAC shall continue to function until terminated.

Last Reviewed: September 29, 2011