SCIENTIST PROFESSIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Office of the Surgeon General

United States Public Health Service

 

Minutes of 24 January 2002 Meeting Number 85

 

I.  LOCATION/DATE/TIME

Parklawn Building, Surgeon General’s Conference Room 18-57

1300-1600 HOURS

 

II.  ATTENDANCE

A.  MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE          

 

CAPT  John Bartko (ret)      (Treasurer)

CDR Pam Ching                       CDC

LCDR Nelson Adekoya    CDC  (Vice Chairperson)

LCDR Boris Aponte      SAMHSA 

LCDR  Tom Hendricks    FDA

LCDR  Daphne Moffett    ATSDR

LCDR  Doug Thoroughman    IHS

 

B.  EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS ATTENDING

CAPT Lireka Joseph      FDA    (CPO)

 

C.  GUESTS  ATTENDING

CAPT Mark Paris      DoD

CAPT Armen Thoumaian     CMS

CAPT Susanne Caviness              SAMHSA

CDR   Bo Kimsey                       CDC

LCDR Darin Weber      FDA    (Webmaster)

LCDR  Jon Daugherty    FDA

LCDR Kathleen McDuffie    CDC

LT   Joeseph Temenak    FDA

 

D.  MEMBERS EXCUSED OR ABSENT

Dr. Stephen S. Goldman    NIH

CDR  Angela González Willis   HRSA  (Chairperson)

CDR  Richard Troiano    NIH   (Past Chairperson) 

CAPT  Bryan Jones      HRSA

CDR  Joseph Despins    EPA

 

III.  STANDARD AGENDA ITEMS AND REPORTS

A.  CALL TO ORDER

 

The meeting was called to order at 1305 hours by CAPT John Bartko (ret).

 

B.  GREETINGS FROM THE CHAIR

 

CDR González Willis was unable to attend the meeting.  CAPT John Bartko (ret) greeted the participants and asked them to introduce themselves. 

 

LCDR Aponte described some of SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health      Service Administration) responses to the September 11 terrorist attacks.  SAMSHA has   awarded a total of $28 million to address the psychological effects on adults, adolescents,   and children.  A more in depth description of the funding is found in the Fall 2001 issue of  SAMHSA News.  In addition, SAMHSA sponsored a nation summit of local, state, and federal representatives of the     mental health and substance abuse service community, entitled “When Terror Strikes: Responding to the Nation’s Mental Health and Substance Abuse Needs on November 14 - 16, 2001 in New York City.  Forty-two state governors and HHS Secretary Thompson attended this event.  Further information about SAMHSA responses to the terrorist attach may be obtained at http://www.samhsa.gov.

 

CAPT John Bartko (ret) introduced the guest CAPT John Babb, Director of the  Commissioned Corps Readiness Force (CCRF), USPHS Office of Emergency Preparedness.   Highlights of CAPT Babb’s presentation:

 

1.      A description of all CCRF and National Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT)activities for the year 2001.  Some of these include the Presidential inauguration, State of the Union Address, Mescalero Indian Hospital, Devens Federal Bureau of Prison (BOP) Hospital, Tropical Storm Allison I and II, September 11 Attacks, and Anthrax Attacks).

2.      Commissioned Officers worked at 5 treatment sites in New York City and averaged 500 - 525 patients/24 hours.

3.      Non CDC Commissioned Officers worked a total of 13 years of overtime for the various events in 2001 (hour count for CDC Commissioned Officers was not available).

4.      Active and planned CCRF and DMAT activities for 2002 were also described (Vaccination Program - Washington, DC, State of the Union Address, Support for IHS Command Center, and Winter Olympics - Salt Lake City).

5.      At least 21 Scientist Officers were deployed for various events in 2001.

6.      The Surgeon General agreed to extend the deadline for completing CCRF Roster Qualifications until January 1, 2003.  Thereafter, all CCRF Roster Qualifications must be met for Officers to be deployed.

7.      The contact information for CAPT John Babb are 301-443-3114 and jbabb@osophs.dhhs.gov.  The website is http://oep.osophs.dhhs.gov/ccrf.

C.  REPORT FROM THE CHIEF PROFESSIONAL OFFICER

 

CAPT Joseph strongly encouraged Officers to the attend the Surgeon General David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D. Farewell Reception, Wednesday, February 6, 2002, 6:30 - 9:30 PM at the National Institutes of Health, The Natcher Conference Center, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD.  The cost is $35.00.  The COA Foundation will supplement the cost of the reception for O-3 Officers and lower (reduce price by $15.00).   A reservation request should be made to the Anchor and Caduceus Society, Attn: Surgeon General's Reception, P.O. Box 30100, Bethesda, MD 20824.

 

Volunteers are still needed for the Surgeon General Farewell Reception.  Please contact             COL Dave Litts [dlitts@osophs.dhhs.gov] if you are interested.

 

The following article was discussed at the CPO and PAC Chairs meeting (ROA                         Conference - Minuteman appreciation of CC):

 

Reinforce Our First Line Of Defense

 

            The Washington Post Sunday,  January 20, 2002

            By Jayson L. Spiegel

 

In its upcoming session, Congress will debate how best to restructure the five armed forces to respond to future terrorist threats. As important as this debate will be, Congress should also assess the Public Health Service (PHS) -- the uniformed corps of some 6,000 medically trained commissioned officers under the leadership of the U.S. surgeon general. The administration needs to establish a fully trained PHS reserve officer corps that can be mobilized in response to emergencies as quickly and effectively as the traditional reserves of the armed services. This would involve building on the corps' established strengths. Homeland defense has been a PHS mission since the earliest days of the republic. The corps was established in 1798 to address the health needs of America's seafaring merchant fleets. In developing a system of health care for merchant seamen, the PHS provided the country's first defense against disease reaching our shores. In those early days, ships arriving in our ports often carried infections that threatened to loose epidemics in America. The uncontrolled spread of disease was such a serious problem that the yellow fever epidemic of 1793 caused the federal government to cease operations at its headquarters in Philadelphia -- a foreshadowing of the closing of the Hart Senate Office Building last fall after a letter laden with anthrax bacteria was opened there. President George Washington moved to a house in nearby Germantown, Pa., where he met with Cabinet members, including Thomas Jefferson, Edmund Randolph and Alexander Hamilton. Today's problem is rather different, of course.  Whatever the source of last fall's anthrax outbreak, the Office of Homeland Security is now all too aware of the potential for health threats to be brought deliberately to our shores by terrorists rather than unwittingly by merchant ships' crews. Aiming to hone our ability to distinguish between a naturally occurring outbreak of infectious disease and a covert bioterrorist attack, PHS officers are currently assigned to the Centers for Disease Control to oversee a disease-surveillance system that reaches local community clinics and hospitals. Other officers ensure that laboratories are ready and available across the nation to help with the identification of biological or chemical agents. In addition to maintaining a system for the emergency distribution of medical supplies, antibiotics and vaccines, active-duty PHS officers conduct bioterrorism exercises, in the hope that they can prevent the fear and chaos that will likely follow a terrorist attack. But, if we were to face a widespread attack -- whether from chemical or biological weapons, or from weapons of mass destruction -- we would need additional expertise. Today, there are about 2,500 reserve PHS officers who could provide such assistance -- down from some 6,000 in 1989. These men and women -- trained as physicians, dentists, environmental engineers, nurses and other health specialists -- are subject to recall and deployment by the National Command Authority, the president and the secretary of defense, in the same way that the more familiar reserves of the armed   forces are mobilized. However, under the current structure, there is no provision for routine monthly or annual training to ensure that these reservists maintain a high standard of skills. Nor do they have benefits. Without adequate training, benefits and job protection, there is little reason for professionals to serve in the PHS reserve -- and less certainty that, if called upon, they would be able to perform their duties effectively. It is not only in preparation for a terrorist attack that regular training would be useful. During their training cycles, PHS reserve units could perform other public health missions, including food safety inspections, vaccination against bioterrorism agents or health education in economically disadvantaged communities. Recognizing these possibilities, Congress in 1997, 1998 and 1999 encouraged the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a more robust PHS reserve corps -- and provided money to do so. The Clinton administration failed to comply. The questions that are lingering over the handling of the recent anthrax cases are persuasive evidence that this country now needs to make use of every available asset in the war against terrorism. By establishing a fully trained PHS reserve officer corps, the Bush administration can help make sure that happens.

Jayson Spiegel is executive director of the Reserve Officers Association of the United States.

 

CAPT Craig A. Shepherd, RS, MPH

Director, Environmental Health Services

Nashville Area Office, Indian Health Service

711 Stewarts Ferry Pike

Nashville, Tennessee 37214

Tel. (615) 467-1535, Fax. (615) 467-1583

e-mail address: craig.shepherd@mail.ihs.gov

 

LCDR Adekoya provided a brief summary of ARP.  LCDR Adekoya or CAPT Caviness should be contacted for additional information concerning the associated recruiter program.

On January 31 the TSP open season closes.

 

ATTENTION:  DCP will strictly enforce the licensing requirement this promotion cycle.  All Officers that are required to be licensed for appointment will also need to meet the                   requirement of not holding a restricted license.  Officers may refer to page 3 of the                February 2002 Commissioned Corps Bulletin.

 

Heads up: A 3 year assignment will open up in Cairo, Egypt soon.

 

The SciPAC will put out a request for new members shortly.

 

D.  REPORT FROM THE TREASURER (CAPT Bartko) – No report

 

  OLD BUSINESS -SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS AND PROJECTS

 

A.  AWARDS (CDR González Willis) - No report

 

B.  CHARTER REVIEW/HANDBOOK (LCDR Weber) –No report

 

C.  MENTORING (CDR Despins) – No report

 

D.  RECRUITMENT (CDR Despins) – No report

 

 

E.  VISIBILITY (LCDR Weber)

 

1.  Poster (CAPT Caviness) —  CAPT Caviness noted that she still needs photos and bios by the end of January or early February because of the earlier date of the COA Annual Meeting.

 

2.  Public Relations, Publishing, and Public Speaking (LCDR Weber) — No report

 

3.  Internet (LCDR Weber) – LCDR Weber reported that several Scientist Officer profiles have been posted on the Scientist Category website, http://usphs-scientist.org.

 

4.  Science Fair Judging (LCDR Hendricks) — LCDR Hendricks and LCDR Rodrigue (HSO) lead this activity for DC COA this year.  LCDR Hendricks now has lead responsibility.  The Northern Virginia Regional Science & Engineering Fair and the Fairfax County Regional Science & Engineering Fair will be held on March 9, 2002.  Please contact LCDR Hendricks at 301-827-6962 or thendric@cvm.fda.gov to sign up for Science Fair Judging in the DC/MD/VA area.