Skip to main content


U.S. flag
      An official website of the United States government
              Here’s how you know
        Here’s how you knowDot gov**Official websites use .gov**
                 A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
                  HTTPS**Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                 A **lock** (A locked padlock) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. 
  Menu Close
          Enter the terms you wish to search for.
    Search
        








  
  
    

  
      

                                      About HHS
    
                        
                              
      
      
      Programs & Services
    
                        
                              
      
      
      Grants & Contracts
    
                        
                              
      
      
      Laws & Regulations Breadcrumb
    Home
                              FOIA (Freedom of Information Act)
                              Statutes and Resources
                              HHS Chief FOIA Officer Report
                              2022 Chief FOIA Officer Report - Section 3
 Navigate to:
  Freedom of Information Act
                                            
            
            Submit & Check Status of FOIA Requests
    
                                                  
                              
            
      
      
      
      FOIA Contacts & Requester Service Centers and Privacy Act Contacts
    
                                                                
                                                    
            
      
      
      
      HHS FOIA Reports
                          
            
            Annual Reports
    
                                                  
                              
            
      
      
      
      Quarterly Reports
    
                                                  
                              
            
      
      
      
      Chief FOIA Officer Report
    
                                                  
                              
            
      
      
      
      Open Pending FOIA Request Reports
    
                                                                
                                                    
            
      
      
      
      FOIA Library / Electronic Reading Room
                          
            
            2016/2017 HHS Presidential Transition Documents
    
                                                  
                              
            
      
      
      
      FOIA Exemptions & Exclusions
    
                                                                
                                                    
            
      
      
      
      FOIA & Privacy Act Statutes & Resources
                          
            
            The Privacy Act
    
                                                  
                              
            
      
      
      
      HHS System of Records Notices (SORNs)
    
                                                  
                              
            
      
      
      
      HHS Computer Matching Agreements (CMAs)
    
                                                  
                              
            
      
      
      
      FOIA FAQS
    
                                                  
                              
            
      
      
      
      FOIA Appeals
    
                                                  
                              
            
      
      
      
      FOIA Fees
    
                                                  
                              
            
      
      
      
      COVID-19 ContractsText resize icon

                    




Section III: Steps Taken to Increase Proactive Disclosures








  
  
    

  
      





The Department of Justice has long focused on the need for agencies to work proactively to post information online without waiting for individual requests to be received.

Please answer the following questions to describe the steps your agency has taken to increase the amount of material that is available on your agency websites.  In addition to the questions below, you should also describe any additional steps taken by your agency to make and improve proactive disclosures of information.

1. Please describe what steps your agency takes to identify, track, and post (a)(2) proactive disclosures.

**Within the NIH components, various communications, research, and policy individuals monitor their component’s activities and research portfolios for matters appropriate for proactive disclosure.  The Communications offices also monitor correspondence from the public and stakeholders for topics of general interest.  Web teams monitor websites for sites that receive many views to identify material that might be appropriate for translation into other languages.**
	**Manuals are posted on the CMS website, for instance there is an Internet-Only Manual (IOM) which has a table of contents for recent changes and an implementation date when the changes are to be incorporated into the IOM.**
	**HRSA has historically proactively released records to the public, without requiring a FOIA request.  The HRSA FOIA Reading Room provides the public with links to the HHS Electronic FOIA Reading Room; Heath Center Data & Reporting; and Uniform Data System (UDS) resources and data.  Additionally, HRSA’s FOIA Reading Room contains links to HRSA’s Data Warehouse; Office of Pharmacy Affairs 340B Database; and the National Practitioner Data Bank.  Additionally, HRSA’s programs routinely proactively release information as part of their business practices.**
	**HRSA used an Artificial Intelligence program to identify similar requests based on the requester or the subject of the request. This enhancement will allow HRSA FOIA Office to efficiently determine if they meet the Rule of 3 for Reading Room posting.**2. Provide examples of any material that your agency has proactively disclosed during the past reporting year, including records that have been requested and released three or more times in accordance with 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(2)(D).  Please include links to these materials as well.

**CDC:**

**Covid-19 related records -**https://foia.cdc.gov/app/ReadingRoom.aspx******CMS:**

**Frequently requested and posted records include: Statement of Deficiency, Cost Reports, and Medicaid eligibility, enrollment, and applications. CMS Rulings and Provider Review Board decisions are also posted in the CMS Reading Room**
	**Manuals are posted on the CMS website, for instance there is an Internet-Only Manual (IOM) which has a table of contents for recent changes and an implementation date when the changes are to be incorporated into the IOM.****FDA:**

**Information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.  See:**Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) | FDA.  ******HRSA:**

**HRSA Reading Room:**https://www.hrsa.gov/foia/electronic-reading.html****
	**HRSA Data Warehouse:**https://data.hrsa.gov/****
	**HRSA’s**Grants****
	**2020 UDS Data:**https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/foia/uds-2020-datadump.xlsx****
	**In FY 2021, after an influx of FOIA requests for Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP) data, HRSA’s Health Systems Bureau (HSB), Division of Injury Compensation Programs (DICP), created a webpage to provide aggregated data to the public and routinely updates the data.  In turn, the number of FOIA requests for CICP data has drastically reduced and the HRSA FOIA Office directs prospective requesters to the CICP data webpage, which has routinely eliminated the need for a request.**https://www.hrsa.gov/cicp/cicp-data******IHS:**

**Posted the Integritas report.  Additionally, IHS posted contracts that were requested more than three times.**https://www.ihs.gov/FOIA/readingroom/******NIH:**

**The Office of the Director regularly updates proactive disclosures in the NIH FOIA Library, found here:**

**https://www.nih.gov/institutes-nih/nih-office-director/office-communications-public-liaison/freedom-information-act-office/nih-foia-library******

**ORS News2Use newsletter provides useful information and is publicly available on NIH’s website.  (****https://news2use.ors.nih.gov/Pages/default.aspx****) It is published quarterly.**

The**Center for Scientific Review** (CSR), the gateway for NIH grant applications and their review for scientific merit.:****

**Review Matters Blog:****https://www.csr.nih.gov/reviewmatters/******

**CSR Advisory Council Information (Agenda, minutes, video, roster etc.):**

https://public.csr.nih.gov/AboutCSR/Organization/CSRAdvisoryCouncil****

**Study section information, rosters, and meetings dates:**

https://public.csr.nih.gov/StudySections****

https://public.csr.nih.gov/RevPanelsAndDates****

**CSR news and Policy:****https://public.csr.nih.gov/NewsAndPolicy******

**Twitter:****https://twitter.com/CSRpeerreview**

**Review Matters blog:****https://www.csr.nih.gov/reviewmatters/**

**Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives/ Office of Research Infrastructure Program (DPCPSI/ORIP):**

**Twitter feed at homepage**https://orip.nih.gov/****

**Highlighting Progress Relative to ORIP’s Strategic Plan**https://orip.nih.gov/strategic-plan/orip-theme-i/highlighting-progress-archives****

**Fogarty International Center (FIC):**

**News and feature articles about Fogarty’s programs and grantee successes, scientific publications etc.:**https://www.fic.nih.gov/News/Pages/News.aspx******Weekly funding newsletter including items of interest to global health researchers:**http://www.fic.nih.gov/Funding/News/******Commentary and publications by Fogarty Director:**http://www.fic.nih.gov/About/Pages/director.aspx******Newly funded grants and awards:**http://www.fic.nih.gov/Grants/Search/Pages/search-grants.aspx****

**National Center for Advanced Translational Services (NCATS):**

**Annual reports, which can be found on the right rail and bottom at**https://ncats.nih.gov/about/center******Translational Science Education and Training:**https://ncats.nih.gov/training-education******Funded activities****under the NCATS Clinical and Translational Science Awards
(CTSA) Program:****https://ncats.nih.gov/files/ctsa-funding-information.pdf********NCATS Strategic********Plan:********https://ncats.nih.gov/strategicplan********NCATS****Toolkit for Patient-Focused Therapy Development:**https://ncats.nih.gov/toolkit******E-Newsletter:****https://ncats.nih.gov/enews********Facebook:****https://www.facebook.com/ncats.nih.gov********Twitter:****https://twitter.com/ncats_nih_gov********LinkedIn:****https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-center-for-advancing-translational-science-ncats********YouTube:****https://www.youtube.com/user/ncatsmedia**

**National Institute on Aging (NIA):**

**Budgets and testimony****:https://www.nia.nih.gov/about/budget****Inside NIA Blog****: https://www.nia.nih.gov/research/blog****Payline information and policies: https://www.nia.nih.gov/research/grants-funding/nia-specific-funding-policies**

**National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB):**

**NIBIB-funded science highlights:****http://www.nibib.nih.gov/news-events/newsroom********Funding opportunities:**http://www.nibib.nih.gov/research-funding#quicktabs-funding_tabs=1******National Advisory Council for Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering meeting agendas and meeting minutes:****http://www.nibib.nih.gov/about-nibib/advisory-council********NIBIB Congressional Justification:****http://www.nibib.nih.gov/about-nibib/budget**

**National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA):**

**The NIDA Data Share web site (****https://datashare.nida.nih.gov/**

**National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS):**

**Databases & Searches - NTP makes several databases and online searches available      at no cost. See****http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/results/dbsearch/index.html******

**NTP Monographs - NTP conducts literature-based evaluations that assess evidence on substances in our environment that may cause adverse health effects. See****https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/pubhealth/hat/index.html**

**National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH):**

**NIMH Clinical Trials Funding Opportunity Announcements:**https://www.nimh.nih.gov/funding/opportunities-announcements/clinical-trials-foas/index.shtml

**Funding Opportunities:****http://www.nimh.nih.gov/funding/index.shtml**

**National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD):**

**Director’s Corner -  Director’s Corner -****http://nimhd.nih.gov/about/directors-corner/index.html**

**NIMHD Staff Directory -****https://www.nimhd.nih.gov/about/overview/staff-directory.html******

**Extramural Research Programs -****https://www.nimhd.nih.gov/programs/extramural******

**NIMHD Research Framework -****https://nimhd.nih.gov/about/overview/research-framework.html**

**NIMHD funding opportunities -****https://nimhd.nih.gov/funding/nimhd-funding/******

**Intramural Research Programs -****https://www.nimhd.nih.gov/programs/intramural/******

**NIMHD Publications -****https://www.nimhd.nih.gov/about/publications/**

**OS:**

**The We Can Do This website launched in April 2021 with the goal of providing partners and stakeholders with timely, relevant, and up-to-date resources focused on vaccine confidence and uptake during the COVID-19 pandemic. The site includes a regular stream of new materials for social media, television ads, explainer videos with trusted messengers, helpful one-pagers, and posters and flyers for in-person spaces in 14 different languages, using messaging at an 8th grade reading level.**

**Throughout the site history, the ASPA Public Education Campaign (PEC) has worked with partners, stakeholders, and cultural agencies to ensure that the content provided is accessible and meeting the needs of the communities we hope to reach. We have created a pathway through site by building a submission feature to capture feedback from site users and opened communication through focus groups where individuals were able to convey their use of the site and ways to improve.**

**In addition to site analytics, ASPA PEC are guided by this relevant information and continue to build and develop the We Can Do This site to accommodate our partners and stakeholders’ work to close the gap in COVID vaccination.**

**OS worked with the Department of Army to identify and proactively post COVID-19 contracts related to the Countermeasures Acceleration Group.****The contracts can be found in the HHS Reading Room, under OWS Proactive Releases -**https://www.hhs.gov/foia/electronic-reading-room/index.html****

3. Does your agency disseminate common types of material outside of FOIA, including in online databases where the public may access them?  If yes, please provide examples and, if applicable, statutory authority.

**CDC posts Public Use data sets**

	****COVID Data Tracker****
		**COVID-19 Data from the National Center for Health Statistics (cdc.gov)**
		**COVID-19 Death Data and Resources - National Vital Statistics System (cdc.gov)**
	**CMS posts National Provider Identification data and Public Use Files of provider -based Medicare reimbursements.**
	**IHS posts policies, standards and procedures related to patient care services.**
	**NIH’s**RePORT Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools (RePORT) website****provides access to a variety of reporting tools, reports, data, and analyses of NIH research activities. Including access to NIH funded grants,********
	**OIG releases audits, reports, press-releases, exclusion notices, enforcement actions, fraud alerts, HHS OIG Most Wanted healthcare fugitives**
	**FDA posts**
	Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience  (MAUDE) **database which contains adverse event reports for medical devices,**
		FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) Public Dashboard****
		**FAERS drug adverse event dashboard is at:**FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) Public Dashboard | FDA**.**4. Beyond posting new material, is your agency taking steps to make the posted information more useful to the public, especially to the community of individuals who regularly access your agency’s website?

**Yes**

5. If yes, please provide examples of such improvements.  In particular, please describe steps your agency is taking to post information in open, machine-readable, and machine-actionable formats, to the extent feasible.  If not posting in open formats, please explain why and note any challenges.

**OIG Exclusions notifications are posted in open machine-readable format.**
	**CMS Nursing Home Compare, information is in 508 format and can be accessed by  requesting braille or different languages.**6. Does your proactive disclosure process or system involve any collaboration with agency staff outside the FOIA office?  If so, describe this interaction.

**Within the NIH components, various communications, research, and policy individuals monitor their component’s activities and research portfolios for matters appropriate for proactive disclosure.  The Communications offices also monitor correspondence from the public and stakeholders for topics of general interest.  Web teams monitor websites for sites that receive many views to identify material that might be appropriate for translation into other languages.****HRSA involves their Office of Communications because they manage the public-facing internet pages.  In regards to the UDS data, the Bureau of Primary Health Care is included.  Another example of the collaboration is the Division of Injury Compensation Program’s CICP Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program data.**
	**FDA proactive disclosure involves our public affairs and media affairs staff, as well as IT and website staffs.**Optional -- Please describe:

Best practices used to improve proactive disclosures
	Any challenges your agency faces in this area**Introduction:** Agency Chief Freedom of Information Act Officer
	**Section I:** Steps Taken to Apply the Presumption of Openness
	**Section II:** Steps Taken to Ensure that Your Agency Has an Effective System in Place for Responding to Requests
	**Section III:** Steps Taken to Increase Proactive Disclosures
	**Section IV:** Steps Taken to Greater Utilize Technology
	**Section V:** Steps Taken to Improve Timeliness in Responding to Requests and Reducing Backlogs
	Success Stories

                    
  


Content created by Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Division Content last reviewed March 7, 2022 Back to top
    Contact HHS
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      Careers
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      HHS FAQs
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      Nondiscrimination NoticeHHS Archive
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      Accessibility Statement
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      Privacy Policy
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      Viewers & PlayersBudget/Performance
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      Inspector General
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      Web Site Disclaimers
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      EEO/No Fear ActFOIA
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      The White House
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      USA.gov
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
        Sign Up for Email Updates

Receive the latest updates from the Secretary, Blogs, and News Releases.

Sign Up
  HHS Headquarters
          200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
                  Washington, D.C. 20201
                  Toll Free Call Center: 1-877-696-6775​