IM-Division

Information Management Division

HHS/ASPR/ICC Office of Security, Intelligence, and Information Management

The Information Management Division is responsible for the collection, analysis and sharing of tactical, operational and strategic information for decision support and situational awareness. This is accomplished by the combined activities of its four branches: Geospatial Integration, Analysis and Visualization; Information Coordination and Reporting; Modeling and Simulation; and Operational Data and Analytics.

Additionally, the Information Management Division has several programs at the Division level, including the Chief Data Officer, who manages ASPR’s Data Management Strategy and the ASPR Ready Program; and the Supply Chain Control Tower Program, which is charged with leading the development of a supply chain situational awareness and analysis capability.

Geospatial Integration, Analysis and Visualization (GIAV) Branch

The GIAV creates and promotes systems and applications for users to visualize, understand and interpret data in many ways that reveal spatial relationships, patterns and trends. The GIAV branch creates static maps, reports, charts in addition to dynamic data displayed on line through the GeoHEALTH Platform. With over 10,000 layers of data available from many federal, state, and local sources that are updated from monthly to within minutes, leadership and users of the GeoHEALTH Platform are able to view data on desktop computers, tablets or smart devices. The spatial data within the ASPR/GIAV database that is maintained by the geospatial staff can be combined with other HHS and external data sources to increase the utility of data across the Department of Health and Human Services. The GIAV Branch is responsible for the maintenance and management of the GeoHEALTH platform and enhancing capabilities through development and systems administration. GIAV also gathers data by working with interagency partners to capture data sources both pre-incident/event and during a response in order to more accurately conduct spatial analysis mapping for timely situational awareness and decision support.

Information Coordination and Reporting (ICR) Branch

The ICR Branch coordinates information by working with stakeholders and internal/external subject matter experts; establishing partnerships and building relationships; and establishing information sharing procedures. ICR enhances information collection by standardizing and setting requirements and maintaining information and data collection plans and protocols. ICR also plays a significant role in dissemination of information and reporting by developing briefings and reports, responding to requests for information, and sharing maps, graphics and data visualization products. ICR is home to ASPR’s National Response Coordination Center ESF8 Program and is expanding ASPR’s regional footprint by imbedding IMD staff in each of the ten FEMA regions alongside ASPR’s Regional Emergency Coordinators (RECs).

National Response Coordination Center (NRCC) ESF-8 Program
When activated by FEMA, ASPR representative(s) deploy to the FEMA NRCC to serve as HHS’s Emergency Support Function 8 (ESF-8) Lead Information Manager. The NRCC program provides a direct link for interagency coordination and information sharing between the HHS Tri-force (Incident Support Team, Information Management Section, and the Incident Management Team), and other activated NRCC ESF’s and sections within the NRCC, and FEMA headquarters.
Regional Information Management Program
The Regional Information Management Program helps to facilitate and improve situational awareness between the ten HHS Regions and ASPR leadership by standardizing information collection, coordination, and reporting across all HHS Regions through the use of dedicated regional information managers (RIMs). RIMs help to identify opportunities to streamline reporting processes between the state and HHS, thus reducing data collection, coordination, and reporting inefficiencies.
Secretary’s Operations Center (SOC) Information Management Program
The SOC Information Management section serves as the focal point of information gathering, analysis, and reporting for ASPR during all responses to public health emergencies and National Special Security Events. The SOC IM leads the production of various information products that support the needs of decision makers at various levels within HHS and other federal agencies.

Modeling and Simulation (MS) Branch

The Modeling and Simulation Branch is responsible for the modeling of Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive (CBRNE) materials; supply chain impacts and demands; pandemic influenza and emerging infectious diseases and transmission; countermeasure impact; and economic analysis. MS also looks to provide data analysis and impacts of clinical trials, animal studies, disease surveillance and supply chain data. Lastly, the branch is responsible for predictive analysis by using artificial intelligence and disease forecasting. The Modeling and Simulation Branch has been called upon to support a wide range of complex and challenging problems that require unique skills to solve. The branch’s work supports the entire preparedness and response cycle with science and evidence-based support. The Modeling and Simulation Branch has deep analytical knowledge, technical expertise, and historical experience with the ASPR mission.

CDC and ASPR have developed five Pandemic Planning Scenarios that are designed to help inform decisions by public health officials who use mathematical modeling, and by mathematical modelers throughout the federal government.

Operational Data and Analytics (ODA) Branch

Before, during, and after a disaster, analyzing data and identifying trends over time are key to understanding the event’s impact and corresponding need for federal assistance to states and communities. ODA has the expertise and tools to make the data understandable and actionable for decision makers. The ODA branch integrates quantitative and qualitative information across SIIM to support regional staff and senior decision-makers with data visualization, analysis, and interpretation of multiple data streams to identify emerging issues, provide decision support, and enhance situational awareness for medical and public health events. The ODA Branch is responsible for:

data analytics by performing data analysis both steady-state and during a response to provide situational awareness and decision support;
data visualization by developing products to better enhance how data is represented and displayed; and
developing threat identification products before and during a response to support decision makers and field personnel.

Supply Chain Control Tower (SCCT) Program

The SCCT program aims to enable end-to-end visibility for supply chain monitoring and readiness for informed decision making in preparedness and response environments.

Create visibility on end-to-end inventory levels; manufacturer capacity; distribution flows, and point-of-care consumption.
Provide insights to demand forecasting, scenario modeling, and enable gap prioritization.
Inform response by providing information to support capacity planning and acquisition strategies; targeted distribution; and strategy and policy refinement.

ASPR Ready

‘ASPR Ready’ will be a transformative response and preparedness IT ecosystem. The new system will be designed to modernize disaster data management and facilitate the ASPR response and business lifecycle with transformative technologies. Furthermore, ASPR Ready will address ASPR’s response workforce process challenges by increasing intra-agency collaborations, strengthening IT security, and streamlining data management for ASPR.

Targeted Capabilities of ASPR Ready:

Serve as a consolidated IT platform designed to integrate disparate ASPR data sets and information systems into a unified architecture
Support the ASPR Common Operating Picture (COP);
Serve as an ASPR personnel and logistics tracking and reporting tool (in coordination with the Office of Resource Management);
Improve healthcare facility status reporting; and
Become a catalog of information management reporting products.