Overview

CDC's Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response (PHPR; formerly Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response) leads the agency's preparedness and response activities by providing strategic direction, support, and coordination for activities across CDC as well as with local, state, tribal, national, territorial, and international public health partners.

Established in 2002, PHPR receives approximately $1.5 billion in annual funding from Congress to build and strengthen national preparedness for public health emergencies including natural, biological, chemical, radiological, and nuclear incidents. This funding supports a range of activities at CDC and state and local public health departments. Congress appropriates over three-quarters of this funding for two CDC programs, the Public Health Emergency Preparedness cooperative agreement and the Strategic National Stockpile.

PHPR carries out its mission by emphasizing accountability through performance, progress through public health science, and collaboration through partnerships.
Download CDC's PHPR Overview Brochure.

Our work

PHPR work is accomplished by staff throughout our four major divisions and the Office of the Director.

The Division of Emergency Operations (DEO) is responsible for overall coordination of CDC's preparedness, assessment, response, recovery, and evaluation prior to and during public health emergencies. DEO is also responsible for the CDC Emergency Operations Center, which serves as CDC's command center for monitoring and coordinating CDC's emergency response to public health threats in the United States and abroad. Staffed 24/7/365, the EOC provides worldwide situational awareness and coordinates CDC's preparedness, assessment, response, recovery, and evaluation for public health emergencies.
Download the latest DEO fact sheet

The Division of State and Local Readiness (DSLR) manages the Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) Cooperative Agreement, which supports preparedness nationwide in state, local, tribal, and territorial public health departments. As of 2009, the cooperative agreement has provided nearly $7 billion to these public health departments to upgrade their ability to effectively respond to the public health consequences of all hazards, including infectious diseases, natural disasters, and biological, chemical, nuclear, and radiological events. The cooperative agreement currently funds 62 awardees including all 50 states, eight U.S. territories and freely associated states, and four localities. DSLR also provides guidance and coordinates technical assistance through CDC project officers and subject matter experts to the 62 awardees. Technical assistance includes sharing CDC public health expertise on exercises, developing performance goals, and identifying useful practices..
Download the latest DSLR fact sheet

The Division of Strategic National Stockpile (DSNS) has the mission to deliver critical medical assets to the site of a national emergency. DSNS manages and maintains the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS), the national repository of critical medicines and medical supplies established to protect the American public if there is a public health emergency severe enough to cause state and local supplies to run out. DSNS procures, stores, and delivers these assets, which are designed to supplement state and local public health agencies in the event of a large-scale public health emergency in the United States or its territories. Technical assistance is also provided to state and local sites to prepare for emergencies and when Strategic National Stockpile assets are deployed..
Download the latest DSNS fact sheet

The Division of Select Agents and Toxins (DSAT) oversees the CDC Select Agent Program, which regulates all entities that possess, use, or transfer biological agents or toxins that could pose a severe threat to public health and safety. Select agents include the bacteria that cause anthrax and plague and the virus that causes smallpox. The program helps ensure compliance with select agent regulations by providing guidance to registered entities and conducting evaluations and inspections.
Download the latest DSAT fact sheet

The Office of the Director supports additional activities that include research and training programs to strengthen states' abilitities to respond to public health emergencies. These include the following:

• The extramural research program strengthens the scientific foundation and operational experience for preparedness and response practices and program activities.
• The Career Epidemiology Field Officer program helps develop epidemiologic capacity and preparedness for public health emergencies.
• Meta-Leadership Summits for Preparedness was a national initiative designed to empower business, government and nonprofit leaders to work together during a public health or safety crisis.
• Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Centers provide core competency-based training to state, local, and tribal public health authorities.