Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
	Policy Information Center

AGENCY FOR TOXIC SUBSTANCES AND DISEASE REGISTRY

MISSION: To prevent exposure and adverse human health effects and diminished quality of life associated with exposure to hazardous substances from waste sites, unplanned releases, and other sources of pollution present in the environment.

Evaluation Program
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) was created as a Federal agency by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), more commonly known as Superfund legislation. ATSDR was created to implement the health-related sections of CERCLA and other laws that protect the public from hazardous waste and environmental spills of hazardous substances. The ATSDR evaluation program is coordinated with the agencywide strategic planning process to implement requirements of the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA). ATSDR's strategic goals and its annual performance plan are the result of an interactive process that reflects a long-term commitment by Agency staff to develop stronger relationships among external clients and stakeholders, to assess products and services using relevant data, and to improve our processes and systems for more efficient accomplishment of ATSDR's mission.

There are four strategic questions important to the Agency. How should ATSDR evaluate the public health needs of its stakeholders and involve those stakeholders in the Agency's program planning, implementation, and evaluation? How should ATSDR's roles in assessment, science, health promotion, and service be implemented to meet the needs of its stakeholders and to achieve its mission? How does ATSDR ensure that it has the authorities and resources necessary to address the public health needs of its stakeholders? And finally, how should ATSDR evaluate the public health impact of its products and services?

Summary of Fiscal Year 1998 Completed Evaluations

Emergency Events Surveillance

TITLE: Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance (HSEES)-1997 Annual Report

ABSTRACT: Since 1990, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has maintained an active, State-based Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance (HSEES) system to describe the public health consequences associated with the release of hazardous substances. This report summarizes the characteristics of events reported to the surveillance system by 13 State health departments during 1997. Data on acute hazardous substances emergency events were collected, includinggeneral information on the event, substance(s) released, victims, injuries, and evacuations. Several data sources were used to obtain the maximum amount of information about each event. These sources included, but were not limited to, records or oral reports of State environmental protection agencies, police and fire departments and hospitals. The data obtained were computerized using an ATSDR-provided data entry system and were sent to the ATSDR on a quarterly basis. The 13 participating States reported a total of 5,531 events for 1997; approximately 80 percent of the events occurred at fixed facilities, and 20 percent were transportation related. In 96 percent of the events, only a single substance was released. The most commonly reported categories of substances were volatile organic compounds, acids, ammonia, pesticides, other inorganic substances, mixtures involving more than one category, and the category designated "other," which included substances that could not be placed in one of the other 10 categories. During this reporting period, 372 events (approximately seven percent of all events) resulted in a total of 1,896 victims. The most frequently reported injuries sustained by victims were respiratory irritation, headache, eye irritation, and nausea or vomiting. A total of 28 persons died as a result of all events, and 514 events required evacuations. These findings have been relatively consistent with previous years since the HEES was started.

AGENCY SPONSOR: Office of Policy and External Affairs

FEDERAL CONTACT: Donna Jones

PHONE NUMBER: 404-639-5001

PIC ID: 6854.1

PERFORMER ORGANIZATION: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Atlanta, GA

Summary of Fiscal Year 1998 Evaluations In Progress

Emergency Events Surveillance

TITLE: Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance (HSEES)

ABSTRACT: This report, generated annually, discusses the evaluations conducted for the ATSDR's Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance (HSEES) program, and is based on the ability to measure the sensitivity and reliability of the system. Sensitivity is measured by the ability of the system to receive notification of events involving hazardous substances meeting the HSEES case definition, evaluated by comparison to other national data collection systems (i.e., DOT, EPA). Reliability is measured by the ability of the system to receive uniformly recorded data from the 13 State health department partners. To address the reliability of HSEES, each quarter the ATSDR mails a report describing a case study involving the release or threatened release of a hazardous substance or substances to participating State health departments. State health department partners review the case study and complete a hard copy data collection form which is returned to the ATSDR. The ATSDR then compares the responses on these forms to each other and to the ATSDR's preferred responses.

AGENCY SPONSOR: Division of Health Studies

FEDERAL CONTACT: Wendy E. Kaye, Ph..D.

PHONE NUMBER: 404-639-6203

PIC ID: 6854

PERFORMER ORGANIZATION: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Atlanta, GA

PROJECTED DATE OF COMPLETION: 12/31/98