Official Name: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

Mission Statement:  The mission of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is to enhance the health and well-being of Americans by providing for effective health and human services and by fostering strong, sustained advances in the sciences, underlying medicine, public health, and  social services.  At the Department, our number one priority will always be to protect the health of all Americans and provide essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves.

Director: Michael O. Leavitt

Number of Employees: 67,444

Budget: $67.65 Billion (FY 2008 discretionary)

 Best Known For:

• The work of its key agencies, most notably the CDC, FDA, and NIH
• Protecting the health of Americans through extensive research in fields such as healthcare, aging, disabilities, diseases, food and drug safety, health information technology, and the modernization of Medicare and Medicaid.

Hot Button Issues:

• Communicable diseases

History:

1906    -    Congress passed the Pure Food and Drugs Act, authorizing the government to monitor the purity of foods and the safety of medicines, now a responsibility of the FDA.

1930    -    Creation of the National Institute of Health, out of the Public Health Service's Hygenic Laboratory.

1935    -    Passage of the Social Security Act.

1938    -    Passage of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

1939    -    Creation of The Federal Security Agency, bringing together related federal activities in the fields of health, education and social insurance.

1946    -    The Communicable Disease Center was established, forerunner of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

1953    -    The Cabinet-level Department of Health, Education and Welfare was created under President Eisenhower, officially forming on April 11

1964    -    Release of the first Surgeon General's Report on Smoking and Health.

1965    -    Creation of the Medicare and Medicaid programs, making comprehensive health care available to millions of Americans.

The Older Americans Act created the nutritional and social programs administered by HHS' Administration on Aging.
The Head Start program was created.

1966    -    International Smallpox Eradication program established.

The Community Health Center and Migrant Health Center programs were launched.

1970    -    Creation of the National Health Service Corps.

1971    -    National Cancer Act signed into law.

1975    -    Child Support Enforcement program established.

1977    -    Creation of the Health Care Financing Administration to manage Medicare and Medicaid separately from the Social Security Administration.

1979    -    The Department of Education Organization Act was signed into law, providing for a separate Department of Education.

1980    -    HEW officially became the Department of Health and Human Services on May 4

Federal funding provided to states for foster care and adoption assistance.

1981    -    Identification of AIDS

1984    -    National Organ Transplantation Act signed into law.

1988    -    Creation of the JOBS program and federal support for child care.

Passage of the McKinney Act to provide health care to the homeless.

1989    -    Creation of the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (now the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality).

1990    -    Human Genome Project established.

Passage of the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act, authorizing the food label.

1993    -    Vaccines for Children Program is established, providing free immunizations to all children in low-income families.

1995    -    The Social Security Administration became an independent agency.

1996    -    Enactment of welfare reform under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act.

Enactment of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

1997    -    Creation of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), enabling states to extend health coverage to more uninsured children.

1999    -    The Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 is signed, making it possible for millions of Americans with disabilities to join the workforce without fear of losing their Medicaid and Medicare coverage. It also modernizes the employment services system for people with disabilities.

Initiative on combating bioterrorism is launched.

2000    -    Publication of human genome sequencing.

2001    -    The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid is created, replacing the Health Care Financing Administration.

HHS responds to the nation's first bioterrorism attack -- delivery of anthrax through the mail.

2002    -    Office of Public Health Emergency Preparedness created to coordinate efforts against bioterrorism and other emergency health threats.

2003    -    Enactment of the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, the most significant expansion of Medicare since its enactment, including a prescription drug benefit.

Key Agencies:

• Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
• Administration for Native Americans
• Administration on Aging (AoA)
• Administration on Developmental Disabilities
• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
• Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (formerly the Health Care Financing Administration)
• Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
• Indian Health Service (IHS)
• National Institutes of Health (NIH)
• Office of Refugee Resettlement
• Program Support Center
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)