North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is a large government agency in the U.S. state of North Carolina, somewhat analogous to the United States Department of Health and Human Services. DHHS has more than 19,000 employees. It is headed by a Secretary (Carmen Hooker Odom since 2001), who is appointed by the Governor.

Among its divisions are:

Division of Social Services
Division of Public Health
Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services
Division of Medical Assistance (most well known for the Medicaid program)

DHHS has its origins in the former North Carolina Department of Human Resources (DHR). DHR was created in 1971 as an umbrella to consolidate what had been more than 300 free-standing state agencies. The first Secretary of Human Resources, Dr. Lenox Baker, was appointed by Governor Robert W. Scott.

The Division of Public Health, an original part of the department, was taken out of DHR in 1989. Most of its functions were transferred back to DHR in 1997 when the agency was renamed the Department of Health and Human Services.