A federal department established in 1953 as the u.s. Department of health, education and welfare (DHW) to supervise and coordinate the following agencies: agency for healthcare research and quality (AHRQ); agency for toxic substances and disease registry (ATSDR); u.s. Food and drug administration (FDA); substance abuse and mental health services administration (SAMHSA); national institutes of health (NIH); centers for disease control and prevention (CDC); centers for medicare and medicaid services (CMS) (formerly the health care financing administration [HCFA]); health resources and services administration (HRSA); and indian health service (IHS). In 1979, a separate department of education was established, and dhew became the department of health and human services (DHHS). In 1995, the social security administration became an independent agency.
Established through a reorganization of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) in 1979. The Department of Education was removed from HEW.
In the UK, the government department in charge of health services.
The department of the executive branch of the federal government responsible for the federal health programs in the civilian sector, and for Social Security. DHHS is the portion of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (DHEW) left after the establishment of the Department of Education as a separate department. DHHS is sometimes referred to as HHS.