American Samoa § 13.0305 - Director and department powers.

§ 13.0305. Director and department powers.

To carry out the purpose of this act, the director and the department are authorized, in addition to exercising any and all powers provided under the American Samoa Public Health Act, to provide or implement upon the declaration of a public health emergency, a response to an event or occurrence of a public health emergency, including services or functions to: (a) Utilize a broad range of flexible powers to protect and promote the public’s health during an event or occurrence of a public health emergency including compulsory powers as defined in the act; (b) Conduct, fund, provide, or endorse response standards for the events or occurrences of public health emergencies; (c) Develop and provide certification, credentialing, or effective training for members of the department, ASG agencies, public and private sector partners and volunteers; (d) Develop, adopt, and implement public health emergency plans through administrative regulations, formal policies, or collaborative recommendations that guide or support individual and community response efforts; (e) Establish formal or informal relationships with federal agencies, ASG agencies, public or private sector partners, volunteers, and any other person or entity within and without the Territory, to support and aid in the response to an event or occurrence of a public health emergency; (f) Enforce existing laws and administrative regulations (including emergency regulations), and propose new laws, amendments to existing laws or administrative regulations that may serve as tools to protect the public’s health; (g) Identify, assess, prevent, and ameliorate conditions of public health emergencies through mandatory reporting observations, epidemiological tracking, program evaluation and monitoring; testing and screening programs, treatment, abatement of public health nuisances, administrative inspections, or other techniques; (h) Promote or ensure the availability and accessibility of resources to respond to an event or occurrence of a public health emergency; (i) Systematically and regularly review and recommend modifications to the response plan and other systems needed or developed to protect the public’s health during or after an event or occurrence of a public health emergency; (j) Request warrants for law enforcement assistance required for the operation or enforcement of any provision of this act; (k) Request assistance from the American Samoa Government Attorney General, law enforcement officials, or any other American Samoa Government official in the operation or enforcement of any provision of this act.