Region 6 Center for Health Security & Response Readiness | Region 6 Center for Health Security & Response Readiness

REGION 6 CENTER FOR HEALTH SECURITY

AND RESPONSE READINESS

OUR MISSION

Strengthen operational response to and crisis leadership for health security threats by leveraging the evidence base and working with real-world practitioners to develop resources and serve as a force multiplier across HHS Region 6 and the nation. 

Welcome to the Region 6 Center for Health Security and Response Readiness (CHSRR), a CDC-funded center supporting public health emergency preparedness across Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and our tribal jurisdictions. Through collaborative, applied research and technical assistance, our work equips health departments and ESF-8 partners with evidence-based tools and resources needed to meet today’s most pressing health security challenges.

Health Security News

Storm Prediction Center implements new changes to severe weather forecasts ahead of Tornado season

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Storm Prediction Center will now include “intensity levels” for daily severe weather outlook maps. The new changes, implemented March 2, 2026 are expected to help understand and prepare for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms.

Prevention efforts ramping up to stop spread of New World screwworm into the United States

State and federal initiatives to stop the northward expansion of the disease are underway, including a disaster declaration issued for the State of Texas and dispersal of sterile flies to create a buffer zone at the Texas-Mexico border.

Another record-breaking year expected for measles cases in the United States

Multiple outbreaks in South Carolina, California, and Florida place strain on local, state, and federal agencies fighting to control the spread of the infectious disease.

Region 6 Population Profile

Population: 38.4 million (CISA)
Spans 546,498 miles across 503 counties & parishes; 68 tribal and Pueblo nations (CISA)
3 major metropolitan areas with more than 2 million people; 8 cities exceeding 300,000. (CISA)
68 federally recognized tribes representing over 25% of the nation’s Indigenous communities (750,000) (OASH)
1,002 Health Profession Shortage Areas (HRSA)

Region 6 Threat Profile

Region 6 states disproportionately impacted by majority of U.S. billion-dollar weather and climate events of 2025, including: drought, severe thunderstorms & hail, tornados, and flooding (Gallagher Re)
Over half (54%) of Region 6 governmental public health workforce has tenure of less than 5 years (PH WINS, 2024)
One quarter (25.9%) of Region 6 governmental public health workforce intends to leave or retire in the next year (PH WINS, 2024)
66.9% of R6 governmental public health employees experience some level of burnout; 19.7% have constant burnout symptoms (PH WINS, 2024)
2nd highest release of toxics released from 3,206 TRI facilities (EPA)
157 Super Fund sites (EPA)

Learn more about CHSRR

Meet Our Center’s Dedicated Team

What The Center Does

Explore Our Current Initiatives

Be A Part of Region 6 Center for Health Security and Response Readiness (CHSRR)!

Interested in partnering with us or need technical assistance?
Fill out our form to connect with our team and explore collaboration opportunities.