U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), located at http://www.hhs.gov/ is the government’s principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans, as well as providing essential human services – especially for those who are unable (or less able) to help themselves.
The current (2009) HHS Secretary is Kathleen Sebelius.
HHS Services
In seeking to accomplish its mission to protect the health of all Americans, the HHS provides more than 300 programs encompassing a wide spectrum of activities. Some of the more prominent ones include:
• Prevention of child abuse and domestic violence
• Medical preparedness for emergencies, including potential terrorist threats
• Services for older Americans, including home-delivered meals
• Substance abuse prevention and treatment
• Medicare (health insurance for the elderly and disabled Americans) and Medicaid (health insurance for low-income people)
• Health and social science research
• Disease prevention, including immunization services
• Assuring food and drug safety
• Health information technology
• Improving maternal and infant health
• Head Start (pre-school education and services
• Financial assistance and services for low-income families
• Faith-based and community initiatives
• Comprehensive health services for Native Americans
HHS Agencies
The HHS comprises numerous U.S. public health agencies. Among them are:
• National Institutes of Health (NIH)
• Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Indian Health Service (IHS)
• Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
• Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
• Administration on Aging (AOA)
• Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
• Office of Inspector General
• Office of the Secretary
HHS Information for Families
The HHS Web site “Families” page contains information to help families improve the health of loved ones and to assist others who need help with daily life. Topics open to include links to other resources for more information.
Topics covered in the Families page include:
• Health – Information on the health of adults, caregivers, children, disabled individuals, infants, seniors, teens, travelers and veterans as well as how to locate health care providers and facilities
• Health Insurance – Information on Medicare, Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)
• Financial Assistance – How to find information on aid for children with disabilities, child support, eligibility for federal government benefits, Head Start, HHS poverty guidelines, paying for child care, paying for home cooling and heating, and temporary assistance for needy families (TANF)
• Safety – Information on how to recognize and prevent abuse and neglect, domestic or partner violence, substance abuse and teen violence
• Statistics – Statistics and reports on births, deaths, healthcare spending and the health profession workforce
HHS Prevention Information
The “Prevention” page contains topics on how to eat smart, exercise regularly and get routine screenings. The HHS encourages Americans to actively manage their health and lead healthy lifestyles. Topics covered include:
• Exercise and Fitness – Latest on physical activity guidelines, exercise for seniors, information on physical fitness and more
• Diet, Nutrition and Eating Right – Latest dietary guidelines, basics of eating healthy
• Health Lifestyle - Information on obesity and weight loss, alcohol and drinking, smoking and tobacco, accident and injury prevention – and how to stop or prevent risky behavior
• Vaccination/Immunization – Information on recommended routine vaccines (including measles, mumps, polio, rubella, and tetanus), along with other recommended vaccines based on age, health or specific circumstances
• Health Screenings – Checklists to take to medical practitioner on which tests are needed to monitor health
• Environment and Your Health – Information on safety prevention in the home, workplace and elsewhere
HHS Diseases Information
The latest alerts and bulletins on communicable diseases are covered in the “Diseases” page on the HHS Web site. The most prominent, such as H1N1 (Swine Flu), is displayed along with links to answers on what it (the disease) is, what to do if you get sick, and how you catch it. Other information on the page includes links to topic sites (such as AIDS, senior health, clinical trials, drug abuse), drug information (consumer and health professional MedWatch reporting of adverse drug effects from the FDA), and CDC public data health and statistics.
Medline Plus links to authoritative information from government agencies and health-related organizations on over 750 diseases and conditions. Includes health news headlines, videos on surgery, tutorials on common conditions, tests and treatments, information on prescription and non-prescription drugs, directories for dentists, doctors and hospitals, health topic summaries, medical encyclopedia, and medical dictionary.
Healthfinder.gov (also available in Spanish) provides access to tools and information on staying healthy. The site contains reliable information on diseases and conditions from more than 1,600 government and non-profit organizations. Includes links to Quick Guide to Healthy Living, health topics arranged in alphabetical order, personal health tools, help to locate a doctor, health center or public library, health news headlines and national health observances (yearly calendar).
HHS Preparedness Information
The “Preparedness” page on the HHS Web site contains numerous headline stories, links, status of the Homeland Security Advisory System, contact information, and more. The three basic steps of Plan, Prepare and Respond link to pages with many more resources on what to do in case of emergencies.
“Disasters Home” contains links to pages for families and individuals, for business, for practitioners, clinicians and responders, for federal, state and local planners, and plan and respond.
The following three topics are covered in two areas: links on the left side of the page and in the body of the text.
Natural disasters covers earthquake, extreme cold, extreme heat, fire or wildfire, flood and dam failure, hurricane and high wind, landslide, thunderstorm, tornadoes, tsunami, and volcano.
Man-made disasters include links to vital information on bioterrorism, chemical agents, pandemic influenza and diseases, radiation emergencies, and terrorism.
Traumatic events and mental health contains links to information on how to find help or assist others.
Contacting HHS
The HHS recommends that individuals first use the FAQs on the site or enter keywords in the search box on every HHS page. There are also links to answers to specific questions on Medicare, Medicaid, family assistance and low-cost healthcare.
The HHS maintains an information and hotline directory of phone numbers at http://www.hhs.ov/about/referlst.html/
Mailing Address and Phone Number:
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue S.W.
Washington, DC 20201
Toll-Free: 1-877-696-6775
--Suzannekane 22:17, 27 November 2009 (UTC)
