HS-PAC
Members Present
CAPT Jose Belardo, HRSA,
Chair-Elect
CDR Christopher Bersani, BOP
CDR
Beth
Finnson, IHS
CDR Michael Flood, IHS
CDR Yvonne Johns, OS
CDR Richard Kennedy, CDC
CDR Nancy Nichols,
IHS
CDR Sylvia Tetzlaff, FDA,
Chair
CDR Elise Young,
HRSA
LCDR Celia Gabrel,
HRSA
LCDR Daisy Mitchell, OCCO
LCDR Frances Placide, IHS
LT Michelle Colledge,
ATSDR
Ex-Officio Members
Present
CAPT Linda Morris Brown, NIH, CPO
LCDR George Durgin,
HAPAG Chair
CAPT Margaret McDowell, CDC
CDR Theresa Minter,
OCCO
HS-PAC
Members Absent
CDR John Cardarelli,
EPA
CDR Kellie Clelland,
FDA
LCDR Michael Weahkee, IHS
LT Jason S.
Jurkowski, OS
Mr. Ken Diepold, (CAPT Retired),
NIH
Guests
CAPT Amy Barkin,
CAPT Frances Gipson,
FDA
CAPT Justina Schwemberger, NIH
CDR Dawn Clary,
IHS
CDR Carmencita Palma, IHS
CDR Astrid Szeto,
FDA
CDR Craig Wilkins,
CDC
LCDR Marcia Britt
LCDR Wanda Finch
LCDR Nicolette Hemingway, FDA
LCDR Joy Ann Matthias, FDA
LCDR Shelia Merriweather, OS
LCDR Scott Salvatore, BOP
LCDR Karen Sicard,
CDC
LCDR Diahann Williams, CMS
LT Amy Chanlongbutra,
HRSA
LT Cheryl Lynn Fajardo
LT John Gusto, FDA
LT Kimberly McIntosh-Little,
OCCFM
LT Robert Pie’
LTJG Sharon Edelson Mammel,
FDA
LT Iris E. Valentin-Bon,
FDA
Welcome and
Introductions
CDR Sylvia Tetzlaff, Chair, called the meeting to order at 0915 hours. She introduced the HS-PAC members
present to the Category Day assembly.
Approval of
Minutes The 01
APR 2005 minutes were approved with revisions.
CPO Report Chief Professional Officer
(CPO) Report CAPT Linda Morris Brown reported on
the demographics of the Health Services Category as of 26 April 2005. We are the 4th largest
category in the USPHS Commissioned
Corps. We have 54% in the Clinical
subcategory, 26% in Health Education and Administration, and 20% in Basic and
Applied Sciences. Thirty percent of
HSOs work at IHS, and over 30% of HSOs work in MD or DC.
CAPT Brown
then provided an overview of the Commissioned Corps Management Structure, and
showed the relationship of the HS-PAC to the CPOs, SG-PAC, OSG, and OASH. She then discussed the newly formed PAGs
and described their advisory role to the HS-PAC and the OSG.
Transformation
Update: We have a new Secretary of DHHS.
Mike Leavitt, and we are awaiting his
decision on transformation options.
Secretary Leavitt is consulting with HHS Agency Heads, the OASH, and the
OSG to get a full assessment on these options for force
management.
Warrant Corps: CAPT Brown reported on the requirement
for appointment to the Reserve Corps WO1 through WO4:
a. Valid license/certification/registration
by a State as appropriate for discipline.
b. Associate degree:
1. Emergency Medical
Technician-Paramedic
2. Nurse
(RN)
3. Physical Therapy
Assistant
4. Medical Laboratory
Technician
Publicity: ORC Macro, a commercial marketing
firm, is under contract with HHS to do public relations work for PHS. Their products will include print media,
commercials, and other promotional material. ORC Macro is also working with the
Commissioned Officers Foundation to develop a questionnaire to assess public
knowledge about the Corps. They
developed the OCCO/OCCFM/OFRD exhibit booths for the 2005
COA.
Readiness: OMB says 70% of the Corps must meet the
basic readiness level by 09/30/05 – new calls to active duty have 12
months to meet requirements.
According to Manual Circular 377, officers must have met basic readiness
requirements on 1 May 05 to be promoted in PY05. The HSO readiness status as of 26 April
was 68.9%, compared to 69.1% for the entire Corps. There is a possibility that readiness
status will be incorporated in future retention standards.
Promotion Year 2006: The following issues are under
discussion with OSG and OCCFM: 3 and freeze, assignment precept, readiness
precept.
New Mission Statement: “Protecting, promoting, and advancing the
health and safety of the Nation.”
As
America’s uniformed service of public health
professionals, the Commissioned Corps achieved this mission
through:
- Rapid and effective response to public health
needs
- Leadership and excellence in public health practices,
and
- The advancement of public health
sciences
CAPT Brown
reported that the Surgeon General would be announcing our new Motto in his
keynote address on Wednesday, June 8,
2005.
Subcommittee
Reports
Awards Subcommittee
Report Co-Chairs CDR Elise Young and LCDR
Frances Placide reported on the activities of their subcommittee, which
included:
- Assisting
CPO in review of nominees for AMSUS 2005 Medical Service Corps
Awards
- Coordinating with Readiness Subcommittee on a
prototype for the first HSO Responder of Year award.
- Reviewing Nominees for the Kissel and Garcia
Awards
- Soliciting 8 Reviewers for AMSUS 2005 Awards
Communications
Subcommittee LT Cheryl Lynn
Fajardo reported on the activities of her subcommittee.
She presented a
discussion of the resources used to keep the HSO community informed: the HS-PAC
Web site and the HSO Listserv.
Education and Career Subcommittee
LCDR Wanda Finch reported on the subcommittee
activities:
·
Created an HSO
E&C web-page, listing professional courses – CLIN, BAS, HEA related courses
by resource, i.e. DHHS, commercial, and academic, and available leadership
training,
·
Conducted training
workshop for career officers,
·
Served as Liaison
with OCCO training activities,
·
Prepared flyers for
new officers that will be distributed at the HSO Booth.
Membership
Subcommittee CDR
Chris
Bersani reported for CDR
John Cardarelli. He provided an
overview of the HSO category, our disciplines, and what it means to be a PAC
member. He highlighted eligibility
requirements, and discussed the factors considered when selecting new members:
size, organizational representation, geographic considerations, gender and
minority representations.
Mentoring
Subcommittee LCDR Celia Gabrel
reported on the HSO Mentoring Program.
Approximately 90 mentoring matches have been made to date. All attempts will be made to match
officers based on: geographic location, area of professional interest. Some activities of her
subcommittee:
- Developing HSO mentoring manual
- Developing application form for mentors and
mentees
- Conducting an evaluation of the Mentoring Program
- Increasing the number of mentors and
mentees
Policy
Subcommittee CDR
Michael Flood reported on the activities of his subcommittee thus far this year,
which includes:
- Reviewing and making recommendations for revisions to
the SG’s Model Charter
- Updating and revising the HSO Charter and
Bylaws
- Updating and publishing the HSO Resource Directory
·
Researching and preparing information
about Physician Assistant billets to assist the Lewin Group on Transformation
issues.
The meeting took an hour
recess during the presentation on Tsunami Relief provided by CAPT
Lawrence McMurtry and LT Jeffrey Coady, and
resumed at its conclusion.
Readiness Subcommittee
CDR
Chris
Bersani
reported the activities of his subcommittee, which included the
following:
- Completed the HSO
Readiness page on the HS-PAC Web site
- Coordinated readiness
communication between OFRD and the HS-PAC
- Provided outreach to HSO
officers to increase readiness numbers
- Maintained “Ready Roster” for
PAC
Members
Recruitment and Retention
Subcommittee LT Michelle Colledge reported that
her subcommittee’s focus so far
this year is managing the HSO Placement Program that was created last year and
implemented 1 January 2005. Activities to date
are:
•
Created materials, as needed, to
assist Discipline Liaisons and applicants in the Program
•
Evaluated the impact of the
Program
•
Completed welcoming packet for newly
commissioned officers (including COSTEPs)
•
Evaluated retention survey results
collected by the Subcommittee and identified future retention projects
Summary and Status of Action
Items
Ø
Action Item 04-06: The Recruitment and Retention
Subcommittee will prepare a “welcoming packet” for HSOs and discuss the
possibility of partnering on this project with JOAG. Status:
Closed
Ø
Action Item 04-11: CDR Bersani and CDR Minter will
provide a listing of HSOs who have completed the required clinical hours.
Status:
Ongoing
Ø
Action Item 05-03: CDR Tetzlaff will prepare a PAC
Chair Procedures Manual. Status: Ongoing
Ø
Action Item 05-05: The Policy Subcommittee will review
HS-PAC Bylaws and make recommendations for change. Status: Ongoing
Ø
Action Item 05-07: The Readiness and Awards
Subcommittees are to develop award for HSO Responder of the Year. Status:
Closed
Ø
Action Item 05-08: The Awards Subcommittee will assist
CPO with AMSUS Award Nomination Reviews. Status: Ongoing.
Ø
Action Item 05-09: The Policy Subcommittee will head
the review of PAC Model Charter and send suggested changes to CPO. Status: Ongoing
Ø
Action Item 05-10: The Education and Career Development
Committee is to develop a handout for the HSO Booth at COA on education and
career information for new officers.
Status: Closed
Ø
Action Item 05-11: The Membership Subcommittee will
provide membership nomination forms at the HSO Booth at COA to encourage
applicants for PAC Year 2006.
Status: Closed
Ø
Action Item 05-12: PAG
Chairs
are to appoint a PAG Readiness Coordinator for their discipline and report to
CDR Tetzlaff and CDR Bersani.
Status: Closed
Ø
Action Item 05-13: CAPT Belardo will review the SSRA
section of the Welcome Packet and submit revisions to Recruitment &
Retention Subcommittee. Status:
Closed
Ø
Action Item 05-14: CDR Tetzlaff will send letters of
appointment/appreciation to PAG
Chairs
and PAG Steering Committee members, PAG
Chairs
will send letters of appointment/appreciation to voting PAG membership. Status: Ongoing
Ø
Action Item 05-15: The CPO will investigate the
assimilation issue and respond to PAGs. Status: Closed
The meeting
was adjourned at 1115 hours.
Draft Minutes prepared by: CDR Sylvia Tetzlaff, HS-PAC
Chair
Submitted by: CDR Sylvia Tetzlaff, HS-PAC Chair and
CAPT Jose Belardo, HS-PAC Chair Elect
Reviewed by: CAPT Linda Morris Brown, Health Services
Chief Professional Officer
