Purpose
CDC's Priorities for Response Readiness (PRR) provides a unified approach to improve core capabilities in response readiness at CDC. Learn how we use CDC's PRR to measure progress and impact and guide informed decision-making for readiness and response activities across CDC.
Why it matters
As a national security asset and the nation's health protection agency for over seven decades, CDC advances the health and safety of Americans by preparing for and responding to outbreaks where and when they start, saving lives and protecting people from public health emergencies and threats.
How it works
CDC's Priorities for Response Readiness describes seven (7) core capabilities for CDC to focus its efforts on to improve readiness to respond to any public health threat or emergency. Since everyone at CDC has a part to play in readiness and response, the Office of Readiness and Response teamed up with experts and leaders from across the agency to identify the most important actions that CDC can take over the next several years towards improving each of the seven core capabilities. The priority actions were informed by lessons learned from recent public health emergencies, fast-paced changes in technology and science, and the ongoing needs we anticipate for future responses. This ensures that the whole agency stays focused on the shared goal of improving our ability to respond to future public health emergencies.
Goals
The PRR is an agency-wide framework aimed at strengthening CDC's preparedness efforts. By concentrating on the two key goals outlined below, the PRR ensures progress is made toward implementing priority actions while providing guidance for informed decision-making across all readiness activities within the agency.
Goal 1
Identify the most significant readiness priorities for CDC attention and resources during the next 3-5 years.
Goal 2
Assess CDC's progress accelerating response readiness.
Core Capabilities
How we ensure readiness for any public health emergency.
Plan
Developing flexible and scalable policies, processes, systems, and funding mechanisms to surge and sustain response functions throughout the agency and in support of partners.
Research
Conducting applied research and evaluation to develop science-based guidance and communication, aiming to reduce disparities and ensure the most effective prevention and response practices, including countermeasures, mitigation, and treatment.
Support
Supporting state, tribal, local, and territorial jurisdictions' readiness to respond to public health emergencies through investments, evidence-based guidance, and technical assistance for programmatic activities to prepare communities to respond to public health threats.
Analyze
Maintaining technical infrastructure and processes to enable and support rapid and transparent data and information sharing and analysis across public health.
Communicate
Strengthening risk communication activities to improve effectiveness in disseminating critical public health information and warnings for preparedness and response to public health emergencies.
Mitigate
Promoting equitable opportunities for preventing or reducing morbidity, mortality, and other adverse outcomes from public health incidents in which the scale, rapid onset, or unpredictability stresses the public health system.
Detect
Enhancing laboratory capacity for detecting and diagnosing known and emerging threats, tracking disease spread, assessing risks, allocating resources effectively, and fostering public trust in health authorities' ability to protect the population.
"CDC Priorities for Response Readiness serves as an agency-wide framework that allows us to collectively improve CDC's readiness to respond to future public health emergencies."
- Dr. Henry Walke, Director, CDC Office of Readiness and Response (ORR)
Results
Implementing CDC's Priority for Response and Readiness allows CDC's programs across the agency to:
- Accelerate readiness to respond within the context of the Agency's established plans and systems for emergency management.
- Develop flexible and scalable policies, processes, systems, and funding mechanisms to surge and sustain response functions throughout the agency and in support of partners.
- Conduct applied research and evaluation to develop science-based guidance and communication, aiming to reduce disparities and ensure the most effective prevention and response practices, including countermeasures, mitigation, and treatment.
- Support state, tribal, local, and territorial jurisdictions' readiness to respond to public health emergencies through investments, evidence-based guidance, and technical assistance for programmatic activities to prepare communities to respond to public health threats.
- Maintain technical infrastructure and processes to enable and support rapid and transparent data and information sharing and analysis across public health.
- Strengthen risk communication activities to improve effectiveness in disseminating critical public health information and warnings for preparedness and response to public health emergencies.
- Expand worldwide laboratory capacity to detect, diagnose, and monitor known and new public health threats more effectively to improve accurate and fast emergency response decision-making.