The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is a cabinet-level executive branch department of the U.S. federal government created to set guidelines for the private healthcare system and providing essential human services in areas such as funding medical studies. Before the separate federal Department of Education was created in 1979, it was called the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW). HHS is administered by the secretary of health and human services, who is appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the United States Senate. The United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, the uniformed service of the U.S. Public Health Service, is led by the surgeon general who is responsible for addressing matters concerning public health as authorized by the secretary or by the assistant secretary for health in addition to their primary mission of administering the Commissioned Corps.
History
Federal Security Agency
The Federal Security Agency (FSA) was established on July 1, 1939, under the Reorganization Act of 1939, P.L. 76–19. The objective was to bring together in one agency all federal programs in the fields of health, education, and social security. The first Federal Security Administrator was Paul V. McNutt. The new agency originally consisted of the following major components: (1) Office of the Administrator, (2) Public Health Service (PHS), (3) Office of Education, (4) Civilian Conservation Corps, and (5) Social Security Board.
Department of Health, Education, and Welfare
The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) was created on April 11, 1953, when Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1953 became effective. HEW thus became the first new Cabinet-level department since the Department of Labor was created in 1913. The Reorganization Plan abolished the FSA and transferred all of its functions to the secretary of HEW and all components of the agency to the department. The first secretary of HEW was Oveta Culp Hobby, a native of Texas, who had served as commander of the Women's Army Corps in World War II and was editor and publisher of the Houston Post. Sworn in on April 11, 1953, as secretary, she was FSA administrator from January 21, 1953 until July 1955, stepping down to take care of her ill husband.
The six major program-operating components of the new department were the Public Health Service, the Office of Education, the Food and Drug Administration, the Social Security Administration, the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, and St. Elizabeth's Hospital. The department was also responsible for three federally aided corporations: Howard University, the American Printing House for the Blind, and the Columbia Institution for the Deaf (Gallaudet College since 1954).Preliminary inventory of the records of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (PI 181, Record Group 235), National Archives and Records Service, 1975.
Department of Health and Human Services The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was renamed the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on October 17, 1979, when its education functions were transferred to the newly created United States Department of Education under the Department of Education Organization Act.Full text of the Department of Education Organization Act; , P.L. 96-88. HHS was left in charge of the Social Security Administration, agencies constituting the Public Health Service, and Family Support Administration.
In 1995, the Social Security Administration was removed from the Department of Health and Human Services, and established as an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States government.
The 2010 United States federal budget established a reserve fund of more than $630 billion over 10 years to finance fundamental reform of the health care system.
In February 2025 it was reported that DHHS planned to "eliminate public participation in many of the agency's policy decisions."
Planned changes as part of the announced 2025 HHS reorganization include merging five existing agencies into a new Administration for a Healthy America, reorienting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention towards infectious disease programs, and breaking up the Administration for Community Living. In addition, the plan proposes a reduction in workforce totaling about 20,000 full-time employees throughout HHS through multiple avenues, with the greatest relative reductions to the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which are each expected to reduce their workforce by 20%.
Organization The Department of Health and Human Services is led by the United States secretary of health and human services, a member of the United States Cabinet appointed by the president of the United States with the consent of the United States Senate. The secretary is assisted in managing the department by the deputy secretary of health and human services, who is also appointed by the president. The secretary and deputy secretary are further assisted by seven assistant secretaries, who serve as top departmental administrators.
The following organizational structure is current as of the beginning of 2025. It is planned to be significantly changed by the announced 2025 HHS reorganization, which is planned to reduce the number of top-level HHS divisions from 28 to 15.
U.S. Public Health Service Within HHS is a collection of agencies and offices that fall under the Public Health Service. The PHS also is home to the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (PHSCC). The operating agencies that are part of PHS are: National Institutes of Health (NIH) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Indian Health Service (IHS) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) Office of the Surgeon General Office of Global Affairs
Office of Global Affairs The Office of Global Affairs (OGA), formally the Secretary's Office of Global Affairs, serves as the department's primary diplomatic voice and lead for global health matters. The office provides leadership and expertise in global health diplomacy, the intersection of public health and foreign affairs, to advance U.S. priorities, foster international partnerships, coordinate global health policy and initiatives across HHS and the broader U.S. government, and contribute to a safer, healthier world while protecting Americans at home and abroad. OGA advances the President's agenda through transparent and common-sense approaches to global partnerships, strengthens the U.S. position as the global standard for public health, and coordinates international engagement with foreign governments, multilateral organizations, and other stakeholders.
OGA coordinates HHS's international activities, including policy development, partnerships, and engagement on issues like pandemic preparedness, health security, and global health threats. It leads on global health diplomacy, supports U.S. positions in international forums, and ensures that international efforts enhance domestic health preparedness and systems. The office has regional components (e.g., offices for Africa & Middle East, The Americas, Asia & the Pacific, Europe & Eurasia) and handles multilateral relations. In relation to the International Health Regulations (IHR) and other frameworks, OGA contributes to U.S. government approaches on global health security and communications with bodies like the World Health Organization (WHO), often in coordination with components such as the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR).
The current head of OGA is Bethany Kozma, Director of the Secretary's Office for Global Affairs. Earlier leadership included Loyce Pace, who served as Assistant Secretary for Global Affairs starting in March 2021 under the Biden administration.
Human Services agencies This list includes the HHS operating agencies that do not fall under PHS: Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Administration for Community Living (ACL) Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) – formerly the Health Care Financing Administration.
Other staff offices The HHS staff offices outside of PHS are:
Immediate Office of the Secretary Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships Regional offices (shown below) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration Federal Occupational Health Office of the Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources Office of the Assistant Secretary for Legislation Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Office for Civil Rights Departmental Appeals Board Office of the General Counsel Office of Inspector General Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology Chief Information Officer
+ HHS IEA Regional Offices Region Regional Director Subordinated States Region 1 Paul Jacobsen Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont Region 2 Dennis González New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands Region 3 Dalton Paxtan Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia Region 4 Thomas Bowman Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee Region 5 Joshua Devine Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin Region 6 Julia Lothrop Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas Region 7 Scott Conner Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska Region 8 Elsa Ramirez Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming Region 9 Bonnie Preston Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands,Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Marshall Islands, and Republic of Palau Region 10 Renée Bouvion Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington Former operating divisions and agencies Environmental Health Divisions, made independent as Environmental Protection Agency in 1970 Office of Education, made independent as U.S. Department of Education in 1980 Social Security Administration, made independent in 1995
Budget and finances The Department of Health and Human Services was authorized a budget for fiscal year 2020 of $1.293 trillion. The budget authorization is broken down as follows:
ProgramBudget authority (in millions)Food and Drug Administration$3,329Health Resources and Services Administration$11,004Indian Health Service$6,104Centers for Disease Control and Prevention$6,767National Institutes of Health$33,669Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration$5,535Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality$0Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services$1,169,091Administration for Children and Families$52,121Administration for Community Living$1,997Departmental Management$340Non-Recurring Expense Fund$-400Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals$186Office of the National Coordinator$43Office for Civil Rights$30Office of Inspector General$82Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund$2,667Program Support Center$749Offsetting Collections$-629Other Collections$-163TOTAL$1,292,523