HHS Secretary Kennedy Declares Public Health Emergency for Guam, CNMI in Response to Typhoon Sinlaku
WASHINGTON, DC (April 18, 2026) – U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. declared a Public Health Emergency (PHE) for the U.S. territories of Guam and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) to address the health impacts of Typhoon Sinlaku. The declaration follows President Trump’s emergency declarations for Guam and CNMI and gives the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) health care providers and suppliers greater flexibility in meeting emergency health needs of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.
“HHS stands with the people of Guam and CNMI as they confront the health impacts of Typhoon Sinlaku,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “We are coordinating closely with territorial and federal partners, deploying teams to assess needs, and delivering medical and public health support as conditions allow.”
Personnel – including a Health and Medical Task Force from the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS), a healthcare system assessment team, a disaster behavioral health team, and an incident management team and logisticians– are part of the HHS’ Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR). These teams are coordinating with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), ASPR regional emergency coordinators (RECs), and territorial health authorities to evaluate impacts and prioritize federal public health and medical support.
“HHS strategically pre-positioned dozens of personnel and critical supplies ahead of the storm so we could respond quickly to the needs of communities in its path,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response John Knox. “By having teams ready in advance, we’re able to quickly identify where help is most needed and deploy NDMS assets where they can have the greatest impact.”
Additional personnel from NDMS, the U.S. Public Health Service, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention remain on standby and are ready to deploy, if needed. ASPR’s Disaster Telemedicine program is also available to expand local clinical capacity and help maintain continuity of care. HHS also has information available from the HHS emPOWER program, a partnership between ASPR and CMS, to support public health emergency planning and response activities. The program offers data on the number of Medicare beneficiaries who rely on electricity-dependent durable medical equipment and certain healthcare services—such as dialysis, oxygen, and home health care—to help communities anticipate and respond to the needs of at-risk populations in impacted areas.
HHS’s Disaster Distress Helpline, sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) at 1-800-985-5990, can provide immediate counseling to anyone affected by Typhoon Sinlaku. Callers can connect with counselors in over 100 languages; a videophone option is available to support the deaf or hard-of-hearing.
In declaring the public health emergency and authorizing flexibilities for CMS beneficiaries, Secretary Kennedy acted under his authority within the Public Health Service Act and Social Security Act. These actions and flexibilities are retroactive to April 11, 2026.
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