HHS

Health and Human Services (HHS) is a cabinet-level department of the United States federal government responsible for protecting the health of Americans and delivering essential human services. It coordinates federal health and welfare programs, funds state and local initiatives, conducts biomedical and health research, and regulates aspects of health care and public health. HHS traces its origins to 1953 as the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW). In 1980, education responsibilities were separated into a standalone Department of Education, and the remaining health and welfare functions were renamed Health and Human Services.

The department is headed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, a member of the President’s Cabinet, with a broad portfolio that covers biomedical research, disease prevention, health care regulation, social services, and public health surveillance. Major components include the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and the Indian Health Service (IHS). The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) operate within HHS to improve health systems and enforce civil rights protections in health programs.

HHS funds and administers programs such as Medicare and Medicaid through CMS, conducts public health campaigns and disease surveillance via CDC, supports medical research through NIH, and oversees regulatory aspects of food and drugs via the FDA. Its budget and scope are set by Congress.