Are You Ready?

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As Public Health Service officers and America’s Health Responders, we stand ready to preserve public health and national security during national or global health emergencies. Responding to this pandemic is no different. Our mission is to be out the door as soon as requested, as this is an “all hands on deck” situation.

Under Commissioned Corps Directive (CCD) 121.02, “Deployment and Readiness,” the Assistant Secretary for Health may release Public Health Service officers assigned to HHS OpDivs/StaffDivs, who are not considered mission critical, either voluntarily or involuntarily and without supervisory approval for deployments. Public Health Service officers assigned to a non-HHS organization may be deployed in accordance with the Memorandum of Agreement/Understanding (MOA/MOU) between the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and the non-HHS organization.

In anticipation of future deployments, Public Health Service officers must remain ready.   In an effort to deploy officers more efficiently for this response, all officers are placed on involuntary deploy or “alert” status effective Wednesday, March 25, 2020, irrespective of the ‘on-call month’ status.

Public Health Service officers have a duty and responsibility to maintain readiness, and to deploy at the ASH’s command, as delegated by the Secretary under CCD 121.02 “Deployment and Readiness”. Officers who fail to comply with orders to deploy during a public health emergency are subject to discipline, including termination of the officer’s commission under CCD 123.01, “Involuntary Separation” and CCD 111.02 “Disciplinary Action”.

Commissioned Corps leadership has spoken to HHS Agency Directors about the need for Public Health Service officers to deploy when called. We will continue to have meetings with liaisons and other stakeholders over the next few weeks.

We are now entering a phase that will require all of us to be ready to deploy on short notice.  This will require discussions with your agency supervisor and your family to ensure pre-deployment readiness.

I am proud to serve with all of you.

In Officio Salutis,

Sylvia Trent-Adams

RADM, USPHS

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health

Basic Readiness

• Readiness and Deployment Operations Group (RedDOG): http://ccmis.usphs.gov/ccmis/ReDDOG/REDDOG_index_m.aspx
• Readiness – Down to the Basics: http://dcp.psc.gov/CCMIS/RedDOG/Forms/Basic_Readiness_Checklist.pdf
• deployment checklist – Deployment checklist
• Annual Physical Fitness Test Training Guide USPHS APFT Training Guide

Medical

New Periodic Health Update (PHU)

Starting January 1, 2020, Commissioned Corps Headquarters (CCHQ) will require all Commissioned Corps officers to complete an annual Periodic Health Update (PHU).

The reason for this change is to better monitor the health status of our officers and to ensure Commissioned Corps mission readiness at all times. The new PHU will replace the five-year physical examination. This annual assessment is evidence-based and will align the Commissioned Corps with the military services. A PHU will provide timely and relevant health information to CCHQ Medical Affairs Branch.

The new policies CCI 221.02, “Medical Readiness” and POM 821.71, “Physical Examination Requirements” that address PHU requirements can be found on the CCMIS website.

Additional information regarding the PHU (e.g., frequently asked questions, policy, required forms, and instructions for officers and healthcare providers) can also be found on the CCMIS website. Please read all documents carefully.  Please contact the Medical Affairs Branch at MACCHQ@hhs.gov if you have additional questions.

Respectfully,

Susan M. Orsega

RADM, USPHS

Director, Commissioned Corps Headquarters

12.16.2019 PHU Instructions for Officers-FINAL

Periodic Health Update Fact Sheet_Preparedness Subcommittee_2.2020

Immunizations

Please ensure you submit your immunizations information to Medical Affairs (MA).

• To safeguard your submissions, Medical Affairs (MA) will only accept immunization submissions via eDOC-U located in the Officer Secure Area (OSA). Any immunizations or medical documents sent via email will be deleted and cannot be processed.
  

  How to Submit Your Immunizations to Medical Affairs:

  1. Upload your Immunization documents through eDOC-U located in the Officer Secure Area (OSA). Document upload instructions are located in the eDOC-U function by clicking the “Help” link. Please read the “Helpful Hints” below to ensure you are submitting complete and correct documentation.
  2. When your immunizations are successfully processed, you will receive an email notification. Verify your status by checking your OSA Dashboard. Select the “Show Immunization Details” at the bottom of your OSA Dashboard as displayed below.
  3. If you do not receive notification after the maximum processing time, contact MA. Approximate processing times are posted in the Processing Timeline table located near the bottom of this webpage.

  Medical Affairs no longer maintains paper or electronic copies of immunization documents. Once the information is received, verified, and entered into your medical database, the document is deleted. Retain a copy of your immunization documents and eDOC-U upload confirmation email for verification and future reference.

  If after submitting your immunizations through eDOC-U you notice:

  • Your immunization document is not displayed as pending in eDOC-U AND
  • Your correct immunizations and dates are not displayed

  Re-upload the document in eDOC-U. Send an email with your name, SERNO, and the names of the missing immunizations to PHSCCimmunizations@hhs.gov.

  Immunizations Questions ONLY (DO NOT EMAIL IMMUNIZATION RECORDS): PHSCCimmunizations@hhs.gov

  Immunizations Team
  Sally Bentsi-Enchill: 240-276-8782
  Samuel Bell: 240-276-8783

  Processing Timeline
  (excluding weekends & federal holidays)

  Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
  Average Processing Time	14-21 days	2-3 days	2-3 days	1-2 days	1-2 days	1-2 days	2-7 days	2-7 days	2-7 days	14-21 days	14-21 days	14-21 days
  Maximum Processing Time	30 days	7 days	7 days	7 days	7 days	7 days	10 days	10 days	10 days	30 days	30 days	30 days

  Officers are required to obtain the following immunizations and/or boosters:

• Hepatitis A and B series
• Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR)
• Tetanus/Diphtheria (Td)
• Varicella
• Influenza (annually)
• Tuberculosis (PPD) – Officers are also to be screened having two negative tuberculin skin test (TST) results no greater than 12 months apart or a single negative interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) test.

APFT

• Starting Oct. 1, 2018, you must also report your height, weight, and Body Mass Index (BMI) as part of your APFT.  All officers are required to complete, report, and submit an APFT annually..
• Revised APFT Procedures and Instructions Effective October 01, 2018: https://dcp.psc.gov/ccmis/ccis/documents/POM18_002.pdf
• Revised APFT Frequently Asked Questions: https://dcp.psc.gov/CCMIS/RedDOG/REDDOG_APFT_frequently_asked_questions_m.aspx
• Update APFT results via CCMIS Officer Secure Area (OSA) RedDOG Self-Service (SS) or eDOC-U.  If you submit your APFT by entering through eDOC-U, you will be routed to RedDOG Self-Service.  GO to: https://dcp.psc.gov/osa/osa_security_statement.aspx

**To check your basic eligibility visit the CCMIS:  https://dcp.psc.gov/osa/osa_security_statement.aspx.

For any additional questions or to contact the Readiness Advocacy Team please email LT Kristin Allmaras (KAllmaras@SouthcentralFoundation.com). Also, if you need a fellow Officer to do an APFT sign-off for you, please don’t hesitate to contact us! Stay ready and best of luck!