Press Release

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Contact: CDC Media Relations
(404) 639-3286

HHS grants bolster health care and public health disaster preparedness

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS ) has awarded more than $840 million to continue improving emergency preparedness of state and local public health and health care systems. These systems are vital to protecting health and saving lives during a disaster.

“Community and state preparedness is essential to the health security of all Americans,” said Nicole Lurie, M.D., assistant secretary for preparedness and response (ASPR). “Events in the last few years have demonstrated how critical it is for health systems across the country to be ready and able to respond quickly and effectively.”

The grant funds are distributed through two federal preparedness programs – the Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) and the Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) programs. These programs represent critical sources of funding and support for the nation’s health care and public health systems. The programs provide resources needed to ensure that local communities can respond effectively to infectious disease outbreaks, natural disasters, or chemical, biological, or radiological nuclear events.