[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 185 (Monday, September 23, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49785-49787]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-24225]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of 
Authority

    Part C (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) of the 
Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of Authority of 
the Department of Health and Human Services (45 FR 67772-67776, dated 
October 14, 1980, and corrected at 45 FR 69296, October 20, 1980, as 
amended most recently at 61 FR 35219-35228, dated July 5, 1996) is 
amended to reflect the following changes within the National Center for 
Health Statistics (NCHS): (1) Abolish the Office of Planning and 
Extramural Programs; (2) establish the Office of Data Standards, 
Program Development, and Extramural Programs and the Office of 
Planning, Budget, and Legislation; and (3) revise the functional 
statement for the Office of International Statistics.
    Section C-B, Organization and Functions, is hereby amended as 
follows:
    After the functional statement for the Office of Research and 
Methodology (CS13), delete in their entirely the title and functional 
statement for the Office of Planning and Extramural Programs (CS14).
    Revise the functional statement for the Office of International 
Statistics (CS15) by deleting item (5) and renumbering the remaining 
items accordingly.
    After the functional statement for the Office of International 
Statistics (CS15), insert the following:
    Office of Data Standards, Program Development, and Extramural 
Programs (CS16). (1) Participates in the development of policy, long-
range plans, and programs of the Center; (2) develops proposed policies 
for the coordination of NCHS programs with external agencies, both 
public and private; (3) provides leadership, and serves as a focal 
point, for NCHS outreach efforts to organizations in the public and 
private sectors; serves a focal point for developing collaborative 
statistical activities of NCHS with other organizations and agencies, 
and the development of public/private partnerships in health 
statistics; facilitates communication with outside agencies regarding 
program and policy issues; (4) provides a focus for program development 
and review of policy implications as related to emerging priority data 
needs of the country; coordinates the assessment of needs and the 
perspectives of other agencies; participates actively in program 
planning and policy development by reviewing the relevance of current 
and proposed programs to defined priorities of need and the 
requirements of other agencies and principal user groups; (5) evaluates 
or arranges for the evaluation of the adequacy, completeness, and 
responsiveness of Center programs both nationally and internationally 
to the NCHS mission and national priorities. Based on the results of 
evaluations, makes proposals for changes in NCHS programs or policies 
and collaborative enterprises; (6) assures leadership in the 
definition, development, and coordination of cooperative and 
collaborative programs in health statistics, working with state and 
local governments, and other organizations including the private and 
academic sectors in the development and strengthening of shared 
subnational statistical systems or services to meet the needs of the 
country; (7) conducts research, analyses, and demonstrations related to 
subnational systems; (8) develops, pilots, and implements new programs 
through direct activities and through grants and contracts; organizes 
Center-wide teams or special work groups for selected high priority 
initiatives; (9) provides scientific and technical support and 
Executive Secretariat services to the National Committee on Vital and 
Health Statistics (NCVHS), the legislatively-mandated advisory 
committee to the Secretary, DHHS; (10) provides for programmatic review 
and leadership for the NCHS Reimbursable Work Program; (11) provides 
guidance and staff support for major Center conferences and committee 
meetings; (12) provides advice and assistance to outside agencies and 
organizations in the conduct of statistical training activities; 
conducts training in key areas, as appropriate; and promotes 
appropriate training and educational materials for implementation and 
use of data sets and classification systems and for other purposes; 
(13) coordinates required clearances for Human Subjects Review; (14) 
provides leadership and serves as advisor to the Director on policy 
issues related to data standards and classification systems; (15) 
provides scientific and technical advice to the DHHS Data Council on 
data standards and classification issues, and takes a leadership role 
in HHS-wide workgroups addressing such issues; (16) serves as NCHS's 
focal point to other organizations regarding efforts to develop minimum 
data sets, core data sets, data definitions, common approaches to 
medical and statistical terminology, and other standards-related 
efforts;
    (17) participates with appropriate agencies and organizations to 
promote the dissemination, adoption, and use of standards advocated by 
NCHS, DHHS, and the NCVHS; serves as a nucleus for data policy, data 
standards, and medical classification by fostering the collaborative 
development of tools and guidelines to enhance the integrity, 
comparability, quality, and usefulness of the data products from a wide 
variety of public and private agencies at the national and subnational 
levels; (18) assures and provides interface of data confidentiality, 
linkage, and security issues with other data policies and standards; 
(19) serves as the focal point and coordinator of U.S. Government 
activities related to the International Classification of Diseases 
(ICD) and maintains liaison with the World Health Organization through 
the direction of the WHO Collaborating Center for Classification of 
Diseases for North America working with appropriate programs throughout 
NCHS; (20) provides a focus for enhancing collaborative activities in 
advancing the science and practice of health statistics, stimulating 
working arrangements with universities, schools of public health, 
schools of medicine and professional organizations of same; provides a 
focus for the development of a reliance upon NCHS data for research in 
these settings and provides leadership for graduate student training 
and interaction with NCHS.
    Data Policy and Standards Staff (CS163). (1) Provides a focus 
within NCHS for the development and continuing responsive modification 
of a conceptual framework for a broad-based definition of the basic 
health information systems of the country; (2) serves as a nucleus for 
data policy, data standards, and medical classification by

[[Page 49786]]

fostering the collaborative development of tools and guidelines to 
enhance the integrity, comparability, quality, and usefulness of the 
data products from a wide variety of public and private agencies at the 
national and subnational levels; (3) establishes and maintains liaison 
and partnerships with Federal agencies within and outside DHHS and with 
a wide variety of private and professional organizations to promote 
uniformity in classifications, data sets, definitions, and related data 
policies and standards; (4) assures representation of NCHS and takes a 
leadership role on intra- and interagency task forces and committees 
reviewing and developing uniform data elements and data sets for 
diverse health care settings, nomenclatures and classifications; (5) 
serves as a focal point within NCHS for collaborative activities 
related to computer-based patient record development; (6) supports the 
Director, NCHS, as a member of the DHHS Data Council and coordinates 
NCHS staff support to the Data Council for data policy and standards 
activities; (7) serves as a focal point for programmatic and subject 
matter support of the NCVHS; (8) establishes and maintains liaison 
between NCVHS and agencies within DHHS, other governmental agencies, 
and relevant private and professional organizations; (9) directs and 
facilitates cross-cutting national data policy activities that involve 
multiple outside organizations and have important implications for NCHS 
and CDC programs; (10) provides liaison with standard-setting 
organizations on emerging data needs and on medical and health 
classification issues; (11) is responsible for overseeing, 
coordinating, evaluating, and formulating recommendations for the ICD 
Family of Classifications and related classifications, by providing the 
focus within NCHS for the development and execution of classification 
activities; (12) serves as the focal point and coordinator of U.S. 
Government activities related to the ICD and maintains liaison with the 
World Health Organization through direction of the WHO Collaborating 
Center for the Classification of Diseases for North America; (13) 
provides advice and assistance within NCHS and to other agencies and 
organizations in the conduct of training activities related to data 
policies and standards; conducts training in key areas as appropriate; 
and promotes appropriate training and educational materials for 
implementation and use of data sets and classification systems; (14) 
assures comparability of morbidity classification, using current and 
subsequent versions of the ICD for morbidity, and recommends revisions 
to the ICD for morbidity applications as appropriate; (15) assumes full 
responsibility for the development and implementation of the evaluation 
program of NCHS of assessment of the adequacy, completeness, and 
responsiveness of Center programs both nationally and internationally 
to the NCHS mission and user needs for data; based on evaluations, 
makes proposals for changes in NCHS programs or policies; (16) supports 
and coordinates Human Subjects Review within NCHS; (17) assures and 
provides interface of data confidentiality, linkage, and security 
issues with other data policies and standards; (18) participates with 
appropriate agencies and organizations to promote the dissemination, 
adoption, and use of data policies and standards advocated by the NCHS, 
DHHS, and the NCVHS; develops comprehensive policy analyses and special 
reports, and newsletters.
    Program Development Staff (CS163). (1) Develops, pilots, and 
promotes programs, projects, and special activities to improve the 
quality, comparability, timeliness, and particularly, the relevance of 
data with emphasis on those aspects of data collection, analysis, 
interpretation, and dissemination that require collaboratively-
supported systems involving public and private agencies, all levels of 
government and the international statistical community; (2) develops, 
pilots, and implements new programs with emphasis on addressing 
emerging data needs through a synthesis of policy concerns, statistical 
approaches, scientific research, and data standards by direct 
activities and through grants and contracts; (3) develops and conducts 
specialized workshops and conferences to build focused research 
capacities and foster networks of extramural researchers; (4) promotes 
public/private extramural funding opportunities through identifying 
common needs and developing innovative research strategies; (5) 
develops innovative training programs, materials, and substantive 
guidelines for use in collaboratively-sponsored and coordinated health 
statistics activities; (6) responds to unique request for improved 
approaches or assistance in the planning and conduct of complex 
statistical enterprises, particularly those involving major policy 
issues, multiple agencies or levels of government, and operating at the 
intersect of public health practice and epidemiologic or statistical 
operations and research; (7) conducts other activities and participates 
in special projects selected to provide NCHS an opportunity for gaining 
definitive knowledge regarding major priority needs for data and major 
barriers to success in collaboratively-sponsored statistical 
enterprises, with emphasis on projects requiring data for subnational 
geographic areas and special populations and for multiple levels of 
government; (8) serves as the focal point for coordination of health 
statistical activities within NCHS as they relate to data needs and 
applications by other organizations or agencies; (9) provides program 
leadership for the NCHS Reimbursable Work Program including the private 
sector initiatives; (10) provides liaison with other federal 
departments and encourages interagency collaboration through the 
conduct of formal interagency meetings, seminars, workshops, and 
conferences which are designed to promote coordination of NCHS data 
systems with other federal, national, and international health systems; 
(11) participates in the dissemination, evaluation, and use of standard 
health data sets; (12) directs research and development related to data 
systems for community health profiles and other small area 
applications; (13) participates in the NCHS longitudinal studies 
program development and implementation; (14) designs and implements 
special studies related to other assigned functions; (15) provides 
planning, management, and operational support for the Center's 
conference and meeting activities, including the Public Health 
Conference on Records and Statistics; (16) provides support services 
for the NCVHS and other committees that may be established and 
subcommittees thereof; (17 prepares committee charters and proposals 
for the establishment or termination of committees and subcommittees, 
prepares nominations for submission to the Secretary, DHHS.
    Office of Planning, Budget and Legislation (CS17). (1) Provides a 
focus for short and long range statistical programs and budget 
planning, policy development, and program analysis; (2) provides advice 
on the development of new health statistics programs, translates 
planning into program proposals for the Center's operations, and 
organizes Center-wide teams or special work groups for selected high 
priority initiatives; (3) serves as a focal point for coordination and 
integration of program activities within NCHS, and facilitates 
communication within NCHS regarding program and policy issues; (4)

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assists the Center Director in the assessment of program 
accomplishments and the development of program planning through a 
program review process; (5) provides leadership within NCHS on 
legislative affairs, develops and coordinates the Center's legislative 
activities, and serves as principal liaison between NCHS programs and 
executive and legislative branch officials on legislative affairs; (6) 
serves as principal advisor in areas of budget and resource 
development, formulates and presents the NCHS budget, and serves as 
principal liaison between NCHS programs and budget officials in CDC, 
DHHS, and OMB; (7) develops fiscal policies, financial management 
procedures, and systems throughout NCHS, and provides leadership for 
the direction and improvement of financial management functions; (8) 
directs and manages the execution of the NCHS budget, including a 
system of budgetary and expenditure controls, financial reports, and 
assistance to staff; (9) provides planning, operational review and 
coordination for the NCHS Reimbursable Work Program, and coordinates 
required clearances of the program; (10) manages and coordinates NCHS' 
responsibilities for review and clearance under the Paperwork Reduction 
Act, and serves as principal liaison between NCHS programs and 
clearance officials in CDC, DHHS, and OMB; (11) assures that NCHS's 
confidentiality and privacy policy are consistent with legislative 
mandates, and that these policies and the Privacy Act are clearly 
articulated and enforced within NCHS; provides policy leadership and 
guidance on data sharing and data release agreements; and develops and 
maintains privacy Act System Notices.

    Dated: September 6, 1996.
Claire Broome,
Acting Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 96-24225 Filed 9-20-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-18-M