The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is a principal department of state of Michigan, headquartered in Lansing, that provides public assistance, child and family welfare services, and oversees health policy and management.
In April 2015, the Department of Human Services (DHS) was merged with the Department of Community Health (DCH) to create the Department of Health and Human Services.[2]
Department of Human Servicesedit
Initially called the Department of Social Services, DHS was created in 1965 and went through several rounds of name changes until 2004, when it was renamed to the Department of Human Services.[4][5]
In August 2007, Governor Jennifer Granholm named Ismael Ahmed to replace Marianne Udow as department director effective September 10, 2007.[3]
100 employees were laid off due to budget cuts in January 2015.[6]
Department of Community Healthedit
The Department of Community Health was created in 1996 through an executive order merging Department of Public Health (as Community Public Health Agency), Department of Mental Health, Medical Services Administration from the Department of Social Services, responsibility for Liquor Control Commission, Licensing, Monitoring and Accreditation and Division of Occupational Health from Department of Commerce, Food Service Sanitation from the Department of Agriculture and many functions of Department of Social Services.[1]
Mergeredit
The merger of the Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Department of Community Health was announced by Governor Rick Snyder during his 2015 State of the State address.[2]
Programsedit
The department has several agencies and programs operating under its management.
Epidemiologyedit
The Bureau of Epidemiology and Population Health is under the purview of the MDHHS.[7] Past Chief Epidemiologists of Michigan include Professor Matthew Boulton of the University of Michigan.[8]
Bureau of Juvenile Justiceedit
The Bureau of Juvenile Justice is responsible for the operation of juvenile correctional facilities.[9]
^ ab"EXECUTIVE ORDER No. 1996 - 1". Governor's Executive Orders. State of Michigan. 1996. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
^ abcGray, Kathleen (14 April 2015). "Snyder lauds new Department of Health, Human Services". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 2015-11-04.
^ ab"Ahmed named human services director | Crain's Detroit Business". Crainsdetroit.com. 2007-08-13. Retrieved 2013-11-02.
^"EXECUTIVE ORDER No.2004 - 38". Michigan.gov. Retrieved 2013-12-02.
^Section 450 of the Executive Organization Act of 1965, 1965 PA 380, MCL 16.550
^"Michigan Department of Human Services issuing layoffs notices to 100 employees this week". Fox Business. AP. January 14, 2015. Retrieved March 16, 2015.