The roles of the federal government in public health and public health crises.

This article outlines the key functions and practices of government in addressing a public health crisis. Governments are responsible for planning and coordinating, resourcing and responding, and revising and evaluating. These three core functions are supported by cross-cutting practices in governance, accountability, and communication. Health leaders are advised to ensure that their organizational emergency plans intersect with those of government, and that they have processes to work with public health, government, and other partners to support robust responses to health crises.