At a glance
The Office of Readiness and Response (ORR) is the central coordinating body for the nation’s preparedness and response efforts. At CDC, ORR works hand-in-hand with experts in immunization, environmental health, emerging diseases, occupational safety and health, injury prevention and control, and others. We pair our emergency management knowledge with their expertise in specific topics, such as infectious diseases.
Our mission
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Office of Readiness and Response (ORR) is America's public health defense hub. ORR's mission is to advance the nation’s preparedness and response for public health emergencies and threats. Our staff work alongside our CDC peers, other federal partners, and state, local, tribal, and territorial health departments to continuously monitor for risks to the health of communities and the nation.
What is a public health emergency?
While a public health emergency can happen at any moment, building and sustaining a workforce with the right knowledge and skills takes time and commitment. ORR staff:
- Collaborate with health departments to guide communities through public health crises.
- Help fund health departments for local emergency response readiness.
- Promote innovation and research for effective public health emergency response.
When a concern is identified, we put decades of public health emergency expertise to work to get the right experts and resources in place to address the emergency and protect the health of Americans and people around the globe.
Values
- Trust: responsible, reliable public stewards dedicated to the communities we serve.
- Innovation: apply science, technical expertise, and innovation to improve the practice of preparedness and response.
- Integrity: uphold the highest standards of moral and ethical principles, respect, and self-awareness.
- Excellence: responsive, efficient, effective, and accurate in all we do.
- Health Equity: committed to reducing health disparities and achieving equitable outcomes to improve America's readiness and response capabilities.
Focus
Our staff work behind the scenes at CDC and on the front lines in communities. We are:
- EXPERT PLANNERS
- Conducts internal CDC preparedness and planning activities and helps public health departments and laboratory staff prepare for health threats. One way we do this is by providing readiness reviews that look at state and local preparedness plans, including a community's ability to give out medicines and medical supplies during a response.
- Conducts internal CDC preparedness and planning activities and helps public health departments and laboratory staff prepare for health threats. One way we do this is by providing readiness reviews that look at state and local preparedness plans, including a community's ability to give out medicines and medical supplies during a response.
- EDUCATORS
- Prepares the public health workforce to be ready and able to respond to any situation. We assess every emergency response to determine what worked well and what needs to change going forward.
- Using the lessons learned, ORR conducts trainings and provides technical assistance to health departments. ORR experts publish peer-reviewed articles to share information with public health workers worldwide. ORR supports research to advance knowledge and best practices in preparedness, response, and recovery.
- Prepares the public health workforce to be ready and able to respond to any situation. We assess every emergency response to determine what worked well and what needs to change going forward.
- CONNECTORS
- Builds trusted relationships and local, national, and global networks. Our Career Epidemiology Field Officers and Preparedness Field Assignees work in public health departments. These experts keep CDC and states connected, which is a key piece of building and sustaining an effective health workforce.
- ORR works with internal and external partners integrates CDC science into preparedness and response planning. Through the U.S. National Authority for Containment of Poliovirus, ORR prepares for future containment of polioviruses and plans to prevent reintroduction in communities.
- Builds trusted relationships and local, national, and global networks. Our Career Epidemiology Field Officers and Preparedness Field Assignees work in public health departments. These experts keep CDC and states connected, which is a key piece of building and sustaining an effective health workforce.
- REGULATORS
- Along with partners at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, ORR oversees the Federal Select Agent Program to ensure that important work in the U.S. with potentially dangerous and deadly pathogens and toxins is conducted as safely and securely as possible.
- Through the Import Permit Program, ORR also regulates the importation of infectious biological materials that could cause disease in humans in order to prevent their introduction and spread into the U.S.
- Along with partners at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, ORR oversees the Federal Select Agent Program to ensure that important work in the U.S. with potentially dangerous and deadly pathogens and toxins is conducted as safely and securely as possible.
- RESPONSE SPECIALISTS
- Runs CDC's Emergency Operations Center, where highly trained experts coordinate resources, information, and crisis and emergency risk communication. EOC staff respond 365 days a year, 24 hours a day to calls from the public, health departments, medical professionals, hospitals, and other groups.
- Runs CDC's Emergency Operations Center, where highly trained experts coordinate resources, information, and crisis and emergency risk communication. EOC staff respond 365 days a year, 24 hours a day to calls from the public, health departments, medical professionals, hospitals, and other groups.
Goals
- PREPARE
- ORR provides expertise, funding, technical support, and training to public health departments to help them prepare for health emergencies. The Public Health Emergency Preparedness program helps state and local jurisdictions prepare to receive and distribute medicines, vaccines, medical supplies, and personal protective equipment (PPE) during emergencies. This requires practicing setting up a point-of-dispensing location (or POD) and dispensing a placebo. Baltimore, Maryland's "Operation Shortbread" sweetened the effort by distributing boxes of Girl Scout cookies to Scout leaders. In March 2020, Baltimore activated the POD to dispense millions of PPE to hospitals, nursing homes, and other facilities. PPE distribution went seamlessly due to the practice exercises.
- ORR provides expertise, funding, technical support, and training to public health departments to help them prepare for health emergencies. The Public Health Emergency Preparedness program helps state and local jurisdictions prepare to receive and distribute medicines, vaccines, medical supplies, and personal protective equipment (PPE) during emergencies. This requires practicing setting up a point-of-dispensing location (or POD) and dispensing a placebo. Baltimore, Maryland's "Operation Shortbread" sweetened the effort by distributing boxes of Girl Scout cookies to Scout leaders. In March 2020, Baltimore activated the POD to dispense millions of PPE to hospitals, nursing homes, and other facilities. PPE distribution went seamlessly due to the practice exercises.
- RESPOND
- When CDC responds to emergencies, ORR can put standardized emergency management structures in place when needed to coordinate community action. ORR experts distribute messages to help the community take action. In the COVID-19 response, ORR provides funding to health departments to monitor case numbers and hospitalization rates, share information about infection control, and coordinate with schools, businesses, healthcare facilities, and other essential community services.
- When CDC responds to emergencies, ORR can put standardized emergency management structures in place when needed to coordinate community action. ORR experts distribute messages to help the community take action. In the COVID-19 response, ORR provides funding to health departments to monitor case numbers and hospitalization rates, share information about infection control, and coordinate with schools, businesses, healthcare facilities, and other essential community services.
- RECOVER
- As an emergency winds down, ORR help health departments recover and rebuild their communities. After Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria hit several Southern states in 2017, ORR funding helped cover public health response costs associated with the hurricanes. The funding made it possible for states to maintain their budgets for other important public health programs while recovering from the storms.
- As an emergency winds down, ORR help health departments recover and rebuild their communities. After Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria hit several Southern states in 2017, ORR funding helped cover public health response costs associated with the hurricanes. The funding made it possible for states to maintain their budgets for other important public health programs while recovering from the storms.
Before a crisis happens, we help public health prepare. We provide funding and training for a sustainable, strong public health workforce. When disaster strikes, we respond with guidance and assistance. We provide communication messages, resources, and staff with the necessary expertise for the job. When the emergency passes, we help communities recover, evaluate, and adapt to improve for the future.
Why it matters
Our country must be prepared for the next public health emergency. The ability to identify a threat before it poses a significant risk depends on a well-trained public health workforce.
State, local, tribal, and territorial health departments must be ready to handle large-scale emergencies and to identify and respond to smaller emergencies and outbreaks. As COVID-19 showed, what starts locally can very quickly become a global emergency.
Our work
CDC is committed to strengthening the nation's health security by protecting against public health threats, whether they begin at home or abroad, or if they are natural or man-made. We support the readiness of state and local health departments to handle diverse types of emergencies threatening the health and resilience of families, communities, and the nation. Developing capacity and having the appropriate resources in place, saves lives.