Critical Infrastructure Protection Priority Focus Area

Ongoing Priorities

The Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) Division is committed to a diverse approach to activities, leveraging vast partnerships, improving critical infrastructure tools and offerings, and utilizing the National Critical Functions as a Health and Public Health (HPH) Sector Risk Management Agency (SRMA) lead, in the following areas:

Partnerships

CIP supports building a more robust and resilient HPH sector by collaborating with private and public partners. In support of this goal and our other strategic priorities, CIP enables cross-HPH Sector collaboration and bi-directional information-sharing, through multiple activities that include but are not limited to:

• Identifying Collaborative Opportunities: CIP works with partners to update Sector governance, such as the HPH Sector Specific Plan, and collaboratively address challenges, such as the potential vulnerability from improper use of supply chain position, navigation, and timing services.
• Strategic Planning and Goal Setting: CIP engages with partners and HHS leadership to identify strategic needs and direction needed to create a more robust and resilient HPH Sector and a more engaged and empowered partnership.
• Facilitating Information Sharing: CIP works with partners to identify opportunities and needs for information sharing and dissemination and to facilitate appropriate sharing activities.
• Growing the HPH Sector: CIP actively engages the broad membership of the HPH Sector while recruiting new members to fill gaps to ensure full representation of sector expertise and equities.

Risk Analysis Management

In its role as SRMA, CIP integrates a risk-focused approach leveraging the National Critical Functions identified by the Department of Homeland Security, and identifies risk management technical assistance and resources to support partner actions accordingly. Additionally, CIP develops tools to assist ASPR and other partners in identifying local and systemic risks. Activities include but are not limited to the following:

• Risk Identification and Site Criticality (RISC) Tool: In 2018 CIP launched version 1.0 of the RISC Tool to assist hospitals in identifying and addressing hazards. RISC 2.0 has now been published with enhanced features and improved user experience. Development is being informed by subject matter experts through a dedicated working group.
  
• Planning for Emerging Threats: CIP integrates risk assessment and management into its sector-specific planning activities, outlining goals and strategies for securing HPH Sector infrastructure over the next several years.
• Addressing Existing Challenges: CIP works with stakeholders within the Critical Infrastructure Partnership Advisory Council (CIPAC) framework to address ongoing challenges to the HPH Sector posed by COVID-19 and other emerging threats, including medical supply chain and vaccine delivery optimization.
• Identifying Gaps: CIP executes their responsibilities as the SRMA to appropriately adapt and identify resources during steady state and response that build HPH Sector capabilities, increase preparedness, increase resilience and reduce risk across HPH Sector stakeholders.

Preparedness and Response

CIP offers institutional knowledge and specialized expertise to lead, facilitate, and support the security and resilience of the HPH Sector, and carries out readiness, incident management, and response activities, including but not limited to:

• Preparedness and Response: CIP works with public and private sector partners to identify and mitigate risks to the sector, and provides decision, support, and response capabilities to enable information sharing and coordination in support of response efforts.
• Strengthening Cybersecurity and Supply Chain Preparedness: CIP convenes stakeholders to plan for and respond to cybersecurity and supply chain risks, by conducting analyses to evaluate how cybersecurity attacks impact access to patient records and patient care.
• Exercise Support and Execution: CIP supports emergency response exercises conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a participant and/or trusted entity for planning in support of enhancing HPH Sector preparedness and resilience.
• Coordinates with ESF 8 and 14: CIP coordinates and collaborates with partners across ESF 8 and 14 on public health and medical needs to support senior leadership decision making and provide information to private sector partners.
• Lessons Learned and Recovery: CIP facilitates information collection and analysis to help partners capture lessons learned to support recovery and improve preparedness, including for the ongoing COVID-19 response.