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Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation |
Policy Information Center |
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. 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?
Fiscal Year 1999 Evaluation Reports |
This evaluation consisted of a high level review of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) business processes supported by HazDat. The business process review included the identification of what management considered core business functions and processes and a survey of HazDat user functionality requirements. The HazDat current value to agency programs was assessed and the systems strengths and limitations identified. System improvement concepts were delineated and the potential future HazDat value assessed. Complementing the business assessment, a high level review of the current HazDat architecture and system development activities was completed. Interviews were conducted with ATSDR system support staff, contractors and vendors. The study culminated in a series of recommendations for future enhancements and improvements directed at providing added value to the user community.
AGENCY SPONSOR: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
FEDERAL CONTACT: Perry, Mike
404-639-0720
PIC ID: 7243
PERFORMER: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry
Atlanta, GA
The Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance (HSEES) system is an active, state-based surveillance system with the goal of reducing the public health consequences associated with the release of hazardous substances. Thirteen state health departments participated in the final year 1998-1999 of the five year cooperative agreement. The 13 states reported a total of 5987 events for 1998. The most commonly reported categories of substances were volatile organic compounds; other inorganic substances; a category designated "other," which includes substances that could be placed in one of the other 10 categories. During this reporting period, 405 events resulted in a total of 1533 victims. The most frequently reported injuries sustained by victims were respiratory irritation, eye irritation, skin irritation, gastrointestinal problems, and headache. A total of 36 persons died as a result of all events, and 537 events required evacuations. Each of the 13 states has produced a final cumulative report for the cooperative agreement period. These reports are currently undergoing review and will be available shortly. The states have taken data from their cumulative reports to develop prevention outreach plans which they will begin implementing in the 1999-2000 year.
AGENCY SPONSOR: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
FEDERAL CONTACT: Orr, Maureen
404-639-6391
PIC ID: 6854.1
PERFORMER: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Atlanta, GA
In-Progress Evaluations |
The Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance (HSEES) Evaluation Report, generated annually, discusses the evaluations conducted for the surveillance of hazardous events and system reporting. The evaluation 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 completes 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: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
FEDERAL CONTACT: Orr, Maureen
404-639-6391
PIC ID: 6854.2
PERFORMER: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Atlanta, GA
EXPECTED DATE OF COMPLETION: 6/30/2001