''Public Health

The Health Security Intelligence Enterprise (HSIE) is an initiative to integrate Public Health and Healthcare Community (PH/HC) interests into the processes of homeland security information and intelligence exchange. The establishment of an institutionalized health security information and intelligence sharing framework will enhance the preparedness level of PH/HC practitioners across the country, while supporting the all-hazards approach to prevention, protection, response and recovery efforts of all homeland security partners.

Federal, State, local, Tribal, and private sector stakeholders are working collaboratively to develop a framework to enhance sharing of health security information. This approach allows the HSIE initiative to best meet the needs of the PH/HC community and others who benefit from the enhanced information sharing environment. These efforts will foster communication and collaboration among PH/HC organizations and between the PH/HC, the Federal homeland security and intelligence communities, and state, local, and tribal law enforcement and public health and safety stakeholders.

The integration efforts with these DHS partners provide efficiencies and allow the Department to be represented in a user friendly manner to state and local stakeholders. In many ways, the fusion center initiative, through the SLPO, has done more to integrate the Department than any other program. ''

http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/testimony/t...

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