HHS Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response

03/30/2026

We’re live today at 2 p.m. with ASPR’s free RISC 2.0 Cybersecurity Module webinar.

Learn how this new module helps health care organizations assess cyber risks, assess vulnerabilities and strengthen resilience using national benchmarks.

There’s still time to register: https://bit.ly/4sjsl5u

03/27/2026

From fire departments in California to primary care leaders in Hawaii, partners consistently share how valuable they find the tools and assistance provided by ASPR TRACIE.

ASPR TRACIE is a trusted source across the country, connecting health care leaders to the information they need to protect their communities and strengthen their response plans before a disaster hits. To learn more about how TRACIE can support your hospital or health care facility, visit https://asprtracie.hhs.gov/

03/26/2026

If a mass casualty happened tonight, would your freestanding emergency department (FSED) be ready?

FSEDs are health care facilities that are structurally separate and distinct from a hospital and provide the same standard of care as a hospital emergency department, but that does not mean they don’t face the same disaster risks and surge pressures. More than 30 states have operational FSEDs, mainly concentrated in Texas, Colorado, and Arizona. FSEDs coordinate their planning and operations with their parent hospital system and can be integrated into regional health care disaster planning.

ASPR TRACIE’s resource can help FSEDs evaluate their risks and resources before a disaster hits by examining a range emergency scenarios and determining gaps in planning, training, and exercises. By reviewing these considerations, health care providers operating FSEDs can improve their abilities to care for patients, establish more successful responses, and create a more resilient community. Review key and concise considerations before the next emergency. ➡️https://files.asprtracie.hhs.gov/documents/freestanding-emergency-department-considerations.pdf

03/25/2026

Registration is now open for the IBMSC Industry Summit! Join ASPR experts, industry leaders, and federal partners to help shape strategies that strengthen the U.S. medical manufacturing industrial base.

While nearly 40% of finished prescription drugs are manufactured domestically, only about 10% of the APIs used in those products are produced in the United States.

We’re bringing people together to chart new ways to onshore medical manufacturing. Come prepared with insights from your industry to inform development of the first U.S. Medical Manufacturing Industrial Development Strategy.

Attendance is free, but advance registration is required. Secure your spot today! https://aspr.hhs.gov/IBMSC/IndustrySummit2026/Pages/default.aspx

03/24/2026

ASPR is teaming up with API Innovation Center (APIIC) to establish the first end-to-end domestic supply chain for metoprolol in decades. Under the new agreement, APIIC will also produce propofol, a surgical sedative.

Metoprolol helps manage heart conditions and decreases lung inflammation for patients intubated in ICUs. When shortages occur, patients don’t just face inconvenience — they risk losing access to a medication that protects their lives and health.

That’s why ASPR is partnering with the API Innovation Center (APIIC) to expand U.S. manufacturing capacity for the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) propofol and the finished dosage form of metoprolol. This collaboration will modernize production capabilities across multiple consortium sites and reinforce the reliability of our supply chain.

By integrating advanced manufacturing technologies, we’re enabling streamlined, uninterrupted production with the flexibility to rapidly scale in response to emergencies.

That’s what we’re doing at ASPR. Onshoring essential medicines. Scaling Smarter. Strengthening domestic manufacturing. Creating jobs for American workers. Protecting American patients.

https://aspr.hhs.gov/newsroom/Pages/APIIC-Surgical-Critical-Care-and-Cardiovascular-Award-24Mar2026.aspx

03/23/2026

Through the Hospital Preparedness Program, ASPR helps health care systems protect the health care workforce, provide patient care during disasters, and fill other gaps in health care readiness. Each year, the Hospital Preparedness Program releases refined continuation guidance to help awardees enhance readiness efforts.

All emergencies are local. Find out how the Hospital Preparedness Program and the Fiscal Year 2026 / Budget Period 3 Hospital Preparedness Program Continuation Guidance strengthens resilience in communities across the country. For additional details, please read ASPR’s press release. https://aspr.hhs.gov/newsroom/Pages/FY2026-BP3-HPP-Continuation-Guidance.aspx

03/18/2026

🚨HPH Sector members, refer to Microsoft's best practices for information on securing Intune by 1) starting with least-privilege; 2) embrace phishing-resistant authentication and privileged access hygiene; and 3) enabling multi-admin approval. https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/intunecustomersuccess/best-practices-for-securing-microsoft-intune/4502117

03/18/2026

Cyber resilience in health care is no longer just an IT priority. It’s an operational imperative.

On March 30, 2026, from 2 – 3 p.m., join ASPR for a free webinar introducing the new RISC 2.0 Cybersecurity Module. This tool helps hospitals and health care facilities assess their cyber risk posture and benchmark against the NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 and HPH Cybersecurity Performance Goals.

Learn how to identify gaps, prioritize investments, and strengthen your organization’s defenses.

Registration is free, but required. Save your seat today. https://aspr.hhs.gov/RISC/Pages/RISC-Webinar.aspx

03/13/2026

In the Upper Merrimack Valley, Medical Reserve Corps volunteers have teamed up with the Chelmsford Health Department to deliver free health screenings—and plenty of smiles—to local veterans.

At the request of the local health department and town nurse, MRC volunteers provide health screenings at monthly gatherings to assist in monitoring veterans’ key wellness indicators, including high blood pressure, and answering general health questions. These gatherings also provide veterans with an opportunity to connect with others in their community. https://aspr.hhs.gov/MRC/Meet/Pages/Upper-Merrimack-Valley-MRC.aspx

Our MRC volunteers are showing up for those who served, even after a massive snowstorm! Each month, the Upper Merrimack Valley unit supports local veterans by administering free health screenings, including hypertension checks. This January, volunteers braved winter roads in the aftermath of a massive snowstorm to ensure local veterans received care.

According to the Department of Veteran’s Affairs, veterans are at a higher risk for developing hypertension. Ensuring they have a consistent opportunity to manage their health means they can prevent further issues down the road, strengthening care for veterans and putting them first. Many of the MRC volunteers who support the event each month are regulars, which has led to strong bonds being created between the volunteers and veterans. Learn more about the program’s impact on local veterans and their health. aspr.hhs.gov/Stories.

03/13/2026

What would it take to strengthen our U.S. medical and pharmaceutical manufacturing industrial base? Next month, join us at the upcoming IBMSC Industry Summit to share your ideas and help shape the future of domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing. Today, mark your calendar.

Nearly 40% of finished prescription drugs are manufactured domestically. Yet only about 10% of the APIs by volume used in those products are made here. That imbalance matters.

Join ASPR’s experts, pharmaceutical experts, federal partners, and more as we shape the U.S. Medical Manufacturing Industrial Development Strategy and chart a path toward greater supply chain resilience.

This is a working session. Bring your expertise. Bring your perspective. Help build the solution. Details here: https://aspr.hhs.gov/IBMSC/IndustrySummit2026/Pages/default.aspx

03/12/2026

A coordinated federal response is underway following the Potomac Interceptor Collapse, which has spilled millions of gallons of sewage into the Potomac River. Across the National Capital Region, local, state, and federal agencies are working together to protect public health. EPA, in coordination with FEMA and HHS, is leading federal operations and working to address environmental concerns across the region.

HHS, led by ASPR, is partnering with federal, state, and local leaders to promote clear, consistent communication about how residents in DC, Maryland, and Virginia can safeguard their health.

HHS continues to monitor food and soil conditions, apply advanced analytics and modeling, and evaluate emerging public health data to guide next steps.

To learn more about this response, visit https://aspr.hhs.gov/Potomac-Interceptor-Collapse/Pages/default.aspx.

03/08/2026

When American Airlines Flight 5342 collided with a military helicopter over the Potomac River in January 2025 — the deadliest aviation disaster in this country in 25 years — our nation mourned. As the nation stood shocked, men and women from the Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team (DMORT) and the Victim Identification Center (VIC), two components of the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS), were already moving.

They deployed with urgency and purpose. DMORT worked side-by-side with the DC Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, conducting needs assessments and doing the painstaking work of processing human remains. VIC team members worked with the Family Assistance Center, asking the families questions, gathering DNA, and finding other clues to accurately identify the unidentified bodies. So that families of those who lost their lives could have some measure of peace. So that loved ones could come home.

Because here's the thing about disaster recovery that we don't always talk about: healing doesn't truly begin for families or loved ones until they know. Until the uncertainty ends. And DMORT and VIC make that possible.

Amy Mouro of the DC Fire and EMS Foundation honored the NDMS DMORT team with a plaque and commemorative challenge coins from the DC Fire and EMS Foundation and the Families of Flight 5342 for their service during the response to the Potomac River Crash. The plaque and coin were presented to Jon Greene, ASPR Deputy Assistant Secretary for Response.

ASPR would like to take this moment to join EMS Foundation and Families of Flight 5342 in thanking DMORT and VIC for their service to the nation. Your work is a reminder that even in our darkest hours, there are people who answer the call to serve.