ATSDR -- FY 1999 AGENCY PROFILE AND ANNUAL REPORT
Conducting health surveillance programs of populations exposed to
hazardous substances, including medical testing and referral for
treatment; and
In cooperation with the states, establishing and maintaining national
registries of (1) persons exposed to hazardous substances and (2)
persons with serious diseases or illness. As specified by the
provisions of SARA, ATSDR must consider establishing a registry as
a followup to a public health assessment when the results indicate a
potentially significant risk to human health.
Division of Health Education and Promotion
The responsibilities of the Division of Health Education and Promotion
include the following activities:
Conducting site-specific programs to assist communities and health
professionals in understanding, preventing, or reducing adverse
health effects of exposure to hazardous substances. These activities
promote awareness, share information, increase knowledge, promote
behavioral changes, provide medical consultations, and
communicate potential health risks.
Supporting a wide array of environmental health education and
promotion activities for health care providers, public health officials,
and communities through cooperative agreement programs with
national organizations of health professionals.
Developing, distributing, and evaluating environmental public
health information and training programs in various formats,
languages, and media.
Office of the Assistant Administrator
In addition, ATSDR has several offices that provide administrative,
scientific, or management support to the agency and its divisions. These offices
are contained within the Office of the Assistant Administrator.
The Office of the Associate Administrator for Science serves as the agency
focal point for science issues that have an impact on ATSDR programs and
activities. The office provides administrative and technical support to the
agency's Board of Scientific Counselors and its Community/Tribal
Subcommittee, the ATSDR peer review process, and a science forum for
sharing scientific information among staff members.
In 1998, ATSDR established an Office of Children's Health to coordinate
child health programs throughout the agency; (2) identify in collaboration
with other divisions and offices new projects that benefit children; and (3)
solicit input from, and disseminate information to, partner agencies and
organizations. ATSDR's office complements EPA's formation of the Office of
Children's Health Protection and the federal Task Force on Children's
Environmental Health and Safety Risks (established under Executive Order
No. 13045).
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