An official website of the United States government
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Public health and medical professionals need to be aware of a number of different legal requirements when working to address the needs of at-risk individuals in the communities they serve.
The Public Health Service Act, as amended, requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop a National Health Security Strategy that establishes preparedness goals which, among other things, includes “taking into account the public health and medical needs of at-risk individuals" described as children, pregnant women, older adults, individuals with disabilities, or others who may have access or functional needs in the event of a public health emergency, as determined by the Secretary. Examples of statutorily required activities that HHS must follow to address the public health and medical needs of at-risk individuals include:
There are many federal laws and executive orders that describe at-risk populations disproportionately impacted by disasters and public health emergencies, including populations that have historically faced discrimination.
The Public Health Service Act, as amended, requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop a National Health Security Strategy that establishes preparedness goals that, among other things, include provisions furthering “taking into account the public health and medical needs of at-risk individuals" described as children, pregnant women, older adults, individuals with disabilities, or others who may have access or functional needs in the event of a public health emergency, as determined by the Secretary. Examples of statutorily required activities that HHS must take to address the public health and medical needs of at-risk individuals include the following:
There are many federal laws and executive orders that describe at-risk populations disproportionately impacted by public health emergencies, including populations that have historically faced discrimination.
