Department of Homeland Security Offers the Homeland Security Preparedness Technical Assistance Program to Enhance State and Local Readiness

• Grantee assistance must support the National Preparedness Guidelines, National Priorities, and national strategies and doctrine related to homeland security;
• Grantee assistance must be flexible and adaptable to fully address current national trends or risks and the present day needs of homeland security personnel;
• Grantee must provide for or incorporate involvement of States, regions, Urban Areas, local and Tribal jurisdictions, as well as private interests with a role in homeland security.

A. Governor’s Homeland Security Advisory Council (GHSAC),

In July of 2006, The National Governor’s Association (NGA) , in consult with DHS, formally organized The Governor’s Homeland Security Advisory Council (GHSAC) from one of its existing work groups, The Center for Best Practices (NGA Center), as the Governors Homeland Security Advisors Council to provide a forum for homeland security officials from each state and territory to analyze and discuss federal policies, share best practices, and provide expert advice and counsel to the nation’s governors and the NGA on the impact of federal policy on the states. Thereby, in performing such functions, GHSAC is performing a highly unique and important function for DHS. NGA Center’s Homeland Security and Technology Division directly supports the activities of the Council and, during the past several years, also has on behalf of the GHSAC conducted research and published issue briefs, governors guides, fact sheets and other documents on a number of salient policy issues, including: intelligence sharing; state homeland security organization, structures and governance; communications interoperability; regional planning and coordination; critical infrastructure protection; the integration of public health into homeland security plans and procedures; pandemic influenza preparedness, and the interpretation and implementation of homeland security grant funding initiatives. Also on behalf of GHSAC, NGA Center provides direct technical assistance in a variety of policy areas to individual Governors offices and serve on a number of national policy committees, including the Global Justice Information Sharing Initiative Federal Advisory Committee, the FEMA Administrator’s Task Force on NIMS Credentialing, and the Emergency Management Accreditation Program Commission. As such, all of functions served by GHSAC and its administrative and facilitative body, NGS Center, are unique and vital to DHS preparedness efforts.

• Grantee assistance must support the National Preparedness Guidelines, National Priorities, and national strategies and doctrine related to homeland security;
• Grantee assistance must be flexible and adaptable to fully address current national trends or risks and the present day needs of homeland security personnel;
• Grantee must provide for or incorporate involvement of States, regions, Urban Areas, local and Tribal jurisdictions, as well as private interests with a role in homeland security.

A. Governor’s Homeland Security Advisory Council (GHSAC),

In July of 2006, The National Governor’s Association (NGA) , in consult with DHS, formally organized The Governor’s Homeland Security Advisory Council (GHSAC) from one of its existing work groups, The Center for Best Practices (NGA Center), as the Governors Homeland Security Advisors Council to provide a forum for homeland security officials from each state and territory to analyze and discuss federal policies, share best practices, and provide expert advice and counsel to the nation’s governors and the NGA on the impact of federal policy on the states. Thereby, in performing such functions, GHSAC is performing a highly unique and important function for DHS. NGA Center’s Homeland Security and Technology Division directly supports the activities of the Council and, during the past several years, also has on behalf of the GHSAC conducted research and published issue briefs, governors guides, fact sheets and other documents on a number of salient policy issues, including: intelligence sharing; state homeland security organization, structures and governance; communications interoperability; regional planning and coordination; critical infrastructure protection; the integration of public health into homeland security plans and procedures; pandemic influenza preparedness, and the interpretation and implementation of homeland security grant funding initiatives. Also on behalf of GHSAC, NGA Center provides direct technical assistance in a variety of policy areas to individual Governors offices and serve on a number of national policy committees, including the Global Justice Information Sharing Initiative Federal Advisory Committee, the FEMA Administrator’s Task Force on NIMS Credentialing, and the Emergency Management Accreditation Program Commission. As such, all of functions served by GHSAC and its administrative and facilitative body, NGS Center, are unique and vital to DHS preparedness efforts.