The Office of Health Affairs (OHA) is an office within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office. OHA helps communities nationwide prepare for a chemical or biological attack and build their own capacity to respond and recover.
OHA anticipates the public health impact of biological attacks, chemical releases, pandemics and infectious disease threats, and disasters to help prepare the nation to respond and rebound. Our expertise supports DHS operations, its workforce, and the preparedness of public health and medical communities.
OHA helps inform federal, state, and local decision-making about high consequence biological threats with biosurveillance programs that give early warnings for a rapid response to contain and limit the impact.
Mission
To advise, promote, integrate, and enable a safe and secure nation in pursuit of national health security.
Goals
- Provide expert health and medical advice to department leadership
- Build national resilience against health incidents
- Enhance national and department medical first responder capabilities
Publications
- Patient Decontamination in a Mass Chemical Exposure Incident: National Planning Guidance for Communities
- First Responder Guidance for Improving Survivability in Improvised Explosive Device and/or Active Shooter Incidents
- Health and Safety Planning Guide for Planners, Safety Officers, and Supervisors for Protecting Responders Following a Nuclear Detonation