The Health and well being of their citizens is of great importance to all countries across the globe. In the United States the Department of Health and Human Services is the principal government agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves.

The Department of Health and Human Services was established in the year 1921 with the goal of protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services. Right from its inception, the HHS has been working towards providing the United States with the best in health care and related services. The Health and Human services Department upholds the motto of “improving the health, safety, and well-being of America”.

The activities of the Health and Human Services department in the US, are conducted by the Office of the Secretary and 11 agencies. The agencies perform a wide variety of tasks and services that are not restricted to research, public health, food and drug safety, grants and other funding and health insurance. The subdivisions of the Office of the Secretary, offer direct support for the Secretary’s initiatives.

The Health and Human Services Department has over 300 programs, covering a wide spectrum of activities that include health and social science research, preventing disease, including immunization services, assuring food and drug safety, medicare (health insurance for elderly and disabled Americans) and Medicaid (health insurance for low-income people). There are also programs for health information technology, financial assistance and services for low-income families, improving maternal and infant health etc.

The Health and Human Services Department also has several grants under it. In fact the HHS  takes pride in the fact that it represents almost a quarter of all federal outlays. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services appropriates billions of dollars in grants and is the only federal agency, that offers more money in grants than all the other federal agencies combined. The HHS works closely with agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Indian Health Service (IHS), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Agency for Health care Research and Quality (AHRQ) to name a few.

Health and human services are essential for the sustenance of any community. An agency that can take care of the health related issues in a country and find solutions to such problems or prevent impending health related problems, is of great importance in the world. The Department of Health and Human Services Strategic Plan, Fiscal Years 2007–2012 addresses the issues of health care; public health promotion and protection, disease prevention, and emergency preparedness; human services; and scientific research and development.

The HHS states that “Healthy and productive individuals, families, and communities are the foundation of the Nation’s present and future security and prosperity”. Therefore a dynamic and dedicated agency for health and human services can ensure a healthy and secure future for the community and the world.