National Academies Press: OpenBook
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×

ADVANCING WORKFORCE
HEALTH AT THE DEPARTMENT
OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Protecting Those Who Protect Us

Committee on Department of Homeland Security Occupational Health
and Operational Medicine Infrastructure

Board on Health Sciences Policy

INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE
              OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS

Washington, D.C.

www.nap.edu

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS    500 Fifth Street, NW    Washington, DC 20001

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.

This study was supported by Contract/Grant No. HSHQDC-11-D-00009/HSHQDC-12-J-00188/P00003 between the National Academy of Sciences and the Department of Homeland Security. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the project.

International Standard Book Number-13: 978-0-309-29647-2
International Standard Book Number-10: 0-309-29647-1

Additional copies of this report are available for sale from the National Academies Press, 500 Fifth Street, NW, Keck 360, Washington, DC 20001; (800) 624-6242 or (202) 334-3313; http://www.nap.edu.

For more information about the Institute of Medicine, visit the IOM home page at: www.iom.edu.

Copyright 2014 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America

The serpent has been a symbol of long life, healing, and knowledge among almost all cultures and religions since the beginning of recorded history. The serpent adopted as a logotype by the Institute of Medicine is a relief carving from ancient Greece, now held by the Staatliche Museen in Berlin.

Suggested citation: IOM (Institute of Medicine). 2014. Advancing workforce health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting those who protect us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×

Knowing is not enough; we must apply.
Willing is not enough; we must do.
”      

                                                —Goethe

image

INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE
              OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

Advising the Nation. Improving Health.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

Advisers to the Nation on Science, Engineering, and Medicine

The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone is president of the National Academy of Sciences.

The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. C. D. Mote, Jr., is president of the National Academy of Engineering.

The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg is president of the Institute of Medicine.

The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone and Dr. C. D. Mote, Jr., are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council.

www.national-academies.org

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×

COMMITTEE ON DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND OPERATIONAL MEDICINE INFRASTRUCTURE

DAVID H. WEGMAN (Chair), Professor Emeritus, Department of Work Environment, University of Massachusetts Lowell

EDWARD BERNACKI, Professor of Medicine and Director, Division of Occupational Medicine; Executive Director of Health, Safety and Environment, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland

LESLIE BODEN, Professor, Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Massachusetts

TOM CAIRNS, Principal, Cairns Blaner Group, LLC, Valencia, California

RICHARD H. CARMONA, 17th Surgeon General of the United States; Distinguished Professor, University of Arizona, Tucson

CHERRYL CHRISTENSEN, Corporate Medical Director, The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, Ohio

DON E. DETMER, Professor of Medical Education, University of Virginia, Charlottesville

ELLEN P. EMBREY, President/CEO, Stratitia, Springfield, Virginia

WILLIAM FABBRI, Medical Director, Office of Medical Services, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington, DC

JANIE GITTLEMAN, Chief, Occupational Safety, Health & Environmental Compliance (FAC-3A), Mission Services Office of Facilities and Services, Defense Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC

WILLIAM L. LANG, Senior Physician, Owl’s Nest, Inc., Arlington, Virginia

MICHAEL A. SILVERSTEIN, Clinical Professor of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, University of Washington School of Public Health, Olympia

DAVID N. SUNDWALL, Professor of Public Health (Clinical), Division of Public Health, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Utah–School of Medicine, Salt Lake City

W. CRAIG VANDERWAGEN, Senior Partner, Martin Blanck and Associates, Columbia, Maryland

Study Staff

AUTUMN S. DOWNEY, Study Director

FRANK VALLIERE, Research Associate

Y. CRYSTI PARK, Senior Program Assistant

BRUCE ALTEVOGT, Senior Program Officer

ANDREW M. POPE, Director, Board on Health Sciences Policy

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×

This page intentionally left blank.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×

Reviewers

This report has been reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with procedures approved by the National Research Council’s Report Review Committee. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the institution in making its published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We wish to thank the following individuals for their review of this report:

 

Jeannie Cimiotti, Rutgers University College of Nursing

Scott Deitchman, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Elaine Duke, Elaine Duke & Associates

Pamela A. Hymel, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts

Jeffery Lowell, Washington University School of Medicine

William S. Marras, The Ohio State University

Robert K. McLellan, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center

C. Crawford Mechem, Pennsylvania Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

Richard J. Miller, Federal Occupational Health

Dean Smith, U.S. Department of State

Terri Tanielian, RAND Corporation

Mark Tedesco, NextCare Urgent Care

Page viii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×

Although the reviewers listed above provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the report’s conclusions or recommendations, nor did they see the final draft of the report before its release. The review of this report was overseen by Ellen Wright Clayton, Vanderbilt University, and Georges C. Benjamin, the American Public Health Association. Appointed by the National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine, they were responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of this report rests entirely with the authoring committee and the institution.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×

Preface

The creation of any new institution or agency can be expected to entail a phase of growth and development. When a new agency is formed in a time of crisis, its evolution is further complicated by circumstance. Furthermore, if the agency is constructed from previously existing components along with newly created entities, both designers and new leadership face major challenges, and many roadblocks can be expected. This was the context for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) when the nation responded to the harrowing events of September 11, 2001, by forming this new cabinet secretariat. Over the past decade, the agency has been learning and evolving slowly into its adolescence, and in the course of this evolution, it recognized a need to focus special attention on its most valuable asset—its employees.

Health and medical leadership in the department’s Office of Health Affairs (OHA) recognized that balancing the need for centralized authority and component agency autonomy in carrying out the full measure of its responsibilities posed particular challenges. It was critical to respect the prerogatives and character of the components while striving to instill a department-wide ethos through commonality of purpose. This balance was deemed critical to building and maintaining the quality and morale of the workforce.

With this need for balance in mind, OHA sought assistance from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) regarding how best to organize, across the department, the varied and complex programs and services designed to protect the occupational health of the DHS workforce and prepare it to fulfill its many operational missions. The committee empaneled to respond

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×

to this request comprised 14 members selected to represent a broad range of expertise that included occupational and environmental health, health systems management, health economics, health information technology and data management, metrics/measurement/program evaluation, workers’ compensation/liability, human resources, and operational medicine. This broad range of backgrounds was necessary to bring proper attention to the task. During the course of this study, the members worked diligently to bring their expertise to bear, learning from and assisting one another to appreciate the complexity of the committee’s charge. As a result, the committee was able to develop recommendations that reflect and respect the needs of the agency and the complex, multidimensional missions with which it is tasked.

It should be noted that several committee members have had previous experience serving in leadership roles within DHS. This experience proved invaluable in grounding our work. We are particularly grateful to Dr. Jeff Runge, who served as liaison from the IOM Committee on Department of Homeland Security Workforce Resilience and shared his wealth of experience from his tenure as the DHS Chief Medical Officer.

Throughout our deliberations, we sought a common understanding of the full range of responsibilities faced by the department both within and across its many component units. We examined the work of other federal agencies as well as institutions in the private sector with reasonably analogous organizational challenges. In so doing, we came not only to better appreciate the difficulties faced by DHS but also to understand a variety of ways in which the same objectives might be met. Early on we received valuable input from Dr. J. D. Polk, Acting Chief Medical Officer at DHS, who provided his insights into the problems and challenges that represent the primary needs to be addressed by OHA. Our efforts were further enhanced by input from many researchers, agency personnel, and representatives of interested groups who graciously dedicated their time to responding to our inquiries and provided their insights and perspectives during our deliberations. Appreciation also is extended to those individuals who served as reviewers of this report.

Chairing this committee has been an education and a rewarding experience, the task made much easier by the friendly and supportive atmosphere of the committee meetings. Over the course of the study, we depended greatly on the high-quality intellectual and administrative skills of the IOM staff, under the able direction of study director Autumn Downey and her colleague Frank Valliere. Their energy and commitment were evident from the outset. Their tireless efforts in developing the necessary background information, undertaking a variety of research tasks, and regularly interacting with the committee members are reflected throughout the report. Their work was ably supported by project assistant Crysti Park. Additional

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×

thanks are owed to Rona Briere for carefully editing and improving the structure of the report.

Finally, I wish to offer thanks and acknowledgment to my fellow committee members, all of whom gave generously of their time in addressing a stimulating and challenging task. I am confident that our conclusions and recommendations will help DHS achieve its overarching goal of a healthy, safe, ready, and resilient workforce, regardless of where they serve and what their missions may be.

David H. Wegman, Chair
Committee on Department of Homeland Security
Occupational Health and Operational Medicine Infrastructure

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×

This page intentionally left blank.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×

This page intentionally left blank.

Page xvii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×

Acronyms and Abbreviations

ACOEM

American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

ADA

Americans with Disabilities Act

ASHA

Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs

   
CA POST

California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training

CBP

Customs and Border Protection

CDC

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

CFR

Code of Federal Regulations

CHCO

Chief Human Capital Officer

CLMO

Component Lead Medical Officer

CMO

Chief Medical Officer

COP

continuation of pay

   
DASHO

Designated Agency Safety and Health Official

DHS

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

DoD

U.S. Department of Defense

DOI

U.S. Department of the Interior

DOL

U.S. Department of Labor

DoS

U.S. Department of State

DSHO

Designated Safety and Health Official

   
EAP

employee assistance program

eHIS

electronic health information system

Page xviii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×
EMS

emergency medical services

EMT

emergency medical technician

ePCR

electronic patient care record

   
FAMS

Federal Air Marshal Service

FBI

Federal Bureau of Investigation

FECA

Federal Employees’ Compensation Act

FEHB

Federal Employees Health Benefits

FEMA

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FLETC

Federal Law Enforcement Training Center

FOH

Federal Occupational Health

   
GAO

U.S. Government Accountability Office

   
HHS

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

HIT

health information technology

HRA

health risk assessment

HRM

Human Resources Management

   
ICE

Immigration and Customs Enforcement

IHiS

integrated health information system

IOM

Institute of Medicine

   
J&J

Johnson & Johnson

   
LTCR

Lost Time Case Rate

   
MLO

Medical Liaison Officer

MOU

memorandum of understanding

MQM

medical quality management

   
NASA

National Aeronautic and Space Administration

NCM

nurse case manager

NFTTU

National Firearms and Tactical Training Unit

NIOSH

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

NPPD

National Protection and Programs Directorate

NPS

U.S. National Park Service

NRC

National Research Council

   
OCHCO

Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer

OHA

Office of Health Affairs

OIG

Office of the Inspector General

OPM

Office of Personnel Management

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×
OSH

occupational safety and health

OSHA

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

OWCP

Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs

   
P&G

Procter & Gamble

POWER

Protecting Our Workers and Ensuring Reemployment

   
RTW

return to work

   
SMA

Senior Medical Advisor

SWAT

special weapons and tactics

   
TCR

Total Case Rate

TSA

Transportation Security Administration

TWH

Total Worker Health™

   
USCG

U.S. Coast Guard

USCIS

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

   
VA

Department of Veterans Affairs

   
WC

workers’ compensation

WHO

World Health Organization

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×

This page intentionally left blank.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×

Glossary

Absenteeism Habitual absence from work.1
   
Chargeback Mechanism by which costs incurred under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA) for most injuries and deaths are billed to agencies.2
   
Disability management A set of practices designed to minimize the disabling impact of injuries and health conditions that arise during the course of employment.3
   
Health promotion A comprehensive social and political process that embraces actions directed at strengthening the skills and capabilities of individuals and changing social, environmental, and economic

__________________

1IOM (Institute of Medicine). 2005. Integrating employee health: A model program for NASA. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

2 DOL (Department of Labor). 2014. Division of Federal Employees’ Compensation (DFEC) Procedure Manual. http://www.dol.gov/owcp/dfec/regs/compliance/DFECfolio/FECAPT5/#50700 (accessed January 27, 2014).

3Hunt, H. A. 2009. The evolution of disability management in North American workers’ compensation programs. Kalamazoo, MI: W.E. Upjohn Institute.

Page xxii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×
conditions to relieve their impact on individual and public health.4
   
Integrated employee health system An infrastructure that would support all employee health activities; provide a way to link information about all aspects of the health of employees; and make this information available to leadership at all levels for the purposes of decision making, accountability, continuous improvement, surveillance, and other questions related to health.5
   
Lagging indicators Retrospective measurements of system performance linked to outcomes.6
   
Leading indicators Prospective measures linked to actions taken to prevent accidents.7
   
Medical readiness The extent to which members of the operational workforce are free of health-related conditions that would impede their ability to participate fully in operations and achieve the goals of their mission.8
   
Medical threat assessment A process for risk management in the context of operational medicine that involves the creation of a comprehensive mission preplan based on available intelligence and information on the nature of the response.9
   
Occupational health An overarching term for activities aimed at maintaining and promoting workers’ health,

__________________

4IOM. 2005. Integrating employee health: A model program for NASA. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

5Adapted from Cecchine, G., E. M. Sloss, C. Nelson, G. Fisher, P. R. Sama, A. Pathak, and D. M. Adamson. 2009. Foundation for integrating employee health activities for active duty personnel in the Department of Defense. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation.

6Manuele, F. A. 2013. On the practice of safety. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

7Manuele, F. A. 2013. On the practice of safety. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

8DoD (Department of Defense). 2013. Joint publication 1: Doctrine for the Armed Forces of the United States. Washington, DC: DoD.

9CA POST (California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training). 2010. Tactical medicine: Operational programs and standardized training recommendations. Sacramento, CA: CA POST.

Page xxiii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×
ensuring the work environment is conducive to safety and health, and developing work organizations and cultures that support health and safety at work.10
   
Occupational medicine A clinical specialty dedicated to the prevention and management of occupational injury, illness, and disability and the promotion of the health and productivity of workers, their families, and communities.11
   
Occupational safety and health Activities aimed at ensuring safe and healthful working conditions, thus preventing work-related illness, injury, and death.12
   
Operational medicine Preventive and responsive medical and health support services provided outside of conventional workplaces during routine, planned, and contingency operations to employees and others under an organization’s control.13
   
Organizational climate Workforce perceptions of organizational practices.14
   
Presenteeism On-the-job productivity loss that is related to, for example, conditions such as allergies, asthma, chronic back pain, migraines, arthritis, and depression; also, productivity loss resulting

__________________

10GOHNET (Global Occupational Health Network). 2003. GOHNET newsletter. Geneva, Switzerland: WHO. http://www.who.int/occupational_health/publications/newsletter/en/gohnet5e.pdf (accessed December 22, 2013).

11ACOEM (American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine). 2013. What is OEM?: Careers in occupational and environmental medicine. http://www.acoem.org/OEMcareers.aspx (accessed November 8, 2013).

12Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.

13Adapted from Fabbri, W. 2013. Operational medicine in other organizations: FBI. Presentation at IOM Committee on DHS Occupational Health and Operational Medicine Infrastructure: Meeting 2, June 10-11, Washington, DC.

14Rousseau, D. M. 2011. Organizational climate and culture. In Encyclopedia of Occupational Health and Safety, edited by J. M. Stellman. Geneva, Switzerland: International Labour Organization. http://www.ilo.org/oshenc/part-v/psychosocial-and-organizational-factors/macroorganizational-factors/item/29-organizational-climate-and-culture?tmpl=component&print=1 (accessed December 17, 2013).

Page xxiv Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×
from caregiving, lack of job satisfaction, and organization culture.15
   
Public health All organized measures designed to prevent disease, promote health, and prolong life among the population as a whole.16
   
Resilience The ability to withstand, recover, and grow in the face of stressors and changing demands.17
   
Workforce health protection The full scope of occupational health and operational medicine activities carried out to sustain and protect the health and effectiveness of deployable forces and members of the workforce exposed to nontraditional environments.

__________________

15IOM. 2005. Integrating employee health: A model program for NASA. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

16WHO (World Health Organization). 2013. Public health. http://www.who.int/trade/glossary/story076/en (accessed December 23, 2013).

17Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. 2011. Chairman’s total force fitness framework. CJCSI 3405.01. http://www.dtic.mil/cjcs_directives/cdata/unlimit/3405_01.pdf (accessed January 27, 2014).

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×
Page R1
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×
Page R2
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×
Page R3
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×
Page R4
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×
Page R5
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×
Page R6
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×
Page R7
Page viii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×
Page R8
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×
Page R9
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×
Page R10
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×
Page R11
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×
Page R12
Page xiii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×
Page R13
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×
Page R14
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×
Page R15
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×
Page R16
Page xvii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×
Page R17
Page xviii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×
Page R18
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×
Page R19
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×
Page R20
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×
Page R21
Page xxii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×
Page R22
Page xxiii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×
Page R23
Page xxiv Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." Institute of Medicine. 2014. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18574.
×
Page R24
Next: Summary »
Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security: Protecting Those Who Protect Us Get This Book
×
Buy Paperback | $68.00 Buy Ebook | $54.99
MyNAP members save 10% online.
Login or Register to save!
Download Free PDF

The more than 200,000 men and women that make up the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) workforce have been entrusted with the ultimate responsibility - ensuring that the homeland is safe, secure, and resilient against terrorism and other hazards. Every day, these dedicated individuals take on the critical and often dangerous challenges of the DHS mission: countering terrorism and enhancing national security, securing and managing the nation's borders, enforcing and administering U.S. immigration laws, protecting cyber networks and critical infrastructure, and ensuring resilience in the face of disasters. In return, DHS is responsible for protecting the health, safety, and resilience of those on whom it relies to achieve this mission, as well as ensuring effective management of the medical needs of persons who, in the course of mission execution, come into DHS care or custody.

Since its creation in 2002, DHS has been aggressively addressing the management challenges of integrating seven core operating component agencies and 18 supporting offices and directorates. One of those challenges is creating and sustaining a coordinated health protection infrastructure. Advancing Workforce Health at the Department of Homeland Security examines how to strengthen mission readiness while better meeting the health needs of the DHS workforce. This report reviews and assesses the agency's current occupational health and operational medicine infrastructure and, based on models and best practices from within and outside DHS, provides recommendations for achieving an integrated, DHS-wide health protection infrastructure with the necessary centralized oversight authority.

Protecting the homeland is physically and mentally demanding and entails many inherent risks, necessitating a DHS workforce that is mission ready. Among other things, mission readiness depends on (1) a workforce that is medically ready (free of health-related conditions that impede the ability to participate fully in operations and achieve mission goals), and (2) the capability, through an operational medicine program, to provide medical support for the workforce and others who come under the protection or control of DHS during routine, planned, and contingency operations. The recommendations of this report will assist DHS in meeting these two requirements through implementation an overarching workforce health protection strategy encompassing occupational health and operational medicine functions that serve to promote, protect, and restore the physical and mental well-being of the workforce.

  1. ×

    Welcome to OpenBook!

    You're looking at OpenBook, NAP.edu's online reading room since 1999. Based on feedback from you, our users, we've made some improvements that make it easier than ever to read thousands of publications on our website.

    Do you want to take a quick tour of the OpenBook's features?

    No Thanks Take a Tour »
  2. ×

    Show this book's table of contents, where you can jump to any chapter by name.

    « Back Next »
  3. ×

    ...or use these buttons to go back to the previous chapter or skip to the next one.

    « Back Next »
  4. ×

    Jump up to the previous page or down to the next one. Also, you can type in a page number and press Enter to go directly to that page in the book.

    « Back Next »
  5. ×

    Switch between the Original Pages, where you can read the report as it appeared in print, and Text Pages for the web version, where you can highlight and search the text.

    « Back Next »
  6. ×

    To search the entire text of this book, type in your search term here and press Enter.

    « Back Next »
  7. ×

    Share a link to this book page on your preferred social network or via email.

    « Back Next »
  8. ×

    View our suggested citation for this chapter.

    « Back Next »
  9. ×

    Ready to take your reading offline? Click here to buy this book in print or download it as a free PDF, if available.

    « Back Next »
Stay Connected!