Guidance for Temporary Reassignment of State and Local Personnel during a Public Health Emergency

Section 319(e) of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act authorizes states and tribes to request the temporary reassignment of state, tribal, or local public health department or agency personnel funded under programs authorized by the PHS Act when the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has declared a public health emergency.  The following reassignment conditions apply: 

• reassignment must be voluntary; 
• locations for reassignment must be covered under the public health emergency; and 
• any reassignment over 30 days  must be reauthorized.
  

The Guidance for Temporary Reassignment of State and Local Personnel during a Public Health Emergency addresses this provision. To learn more about the process for temporary reassignment, see the Process for Requesting Temporary Reassignment of State, Tribal and Local Personnel.

To request the temporary reassignment of personnel, a state governor, tribal leader, or designee must complete the Request for the Temporary Reassignment of State, Tribal, and Local Personnel During a Public Health Emergency Declared by the HHS Secretary and submit it to TemporaryReassignment@hhs.gov.

In the case of submission by a designee, a copy of the designation must be included. Please note that reassignments are not authorized until HHS approval is received.