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A Department of Human Services (DHS) or Ministry of Human Services (MHS) is a national or subnational umbrella agency which is responsible for providing public assistance programs to the population they serve. Various aspects or alternate names include social security, social affairs, human resources and welfare.
A social affairs department is often combined with the portfolio of health or labor.
Some examples include:
Albania — Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities 
Australia — Australia Department of Human Services [1] 
Canada — Human Resources and Skills Development Canada [2] 
Ontario — Ministry of Community and Social Services [3] 
Colombia — Ministry of Social Protection (Colombia) [4] 
Croatia — Ministry of Health and Social Welfare [5] and Ministry of the Family, Veterans' Affairs and Intergenerational Solidarity 
Denmark — Ministry of Social Affairs [6] 
Guyana — Ministry of Labour Human Services and Social Security
Iceland — Ministry of Welfare [7] 
India — Ministry of Tribal Affairs [8] 
Indonesia – Ministry of Social Affairs 
Ireland — Department of Social Protection [9] 
Japan — Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare [10] 
Lebanon — Ministry of Social Affairs [11] 
Netherlands — Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment [12] 
New Zealand — Ministry of Social Development [13] 
People's Republic of China — Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security [14] 
Hong Kong — Labour and Welfare Bureau [15] 
Philippines — Department of Social Welfare and Development [16] 
Portugal — Ministry of Labour and Social Solidarity [17] 
Russian Federation — Ministry of Labour and Social Protection [18] 
Saint Lucia — Ministry of Health, Human Services, Family Affairs & Gender Relations
Sweden — Ministry of Health and Social Affairs [19] 
United Kingdom — Department for Work and Pensions [20] 
United States — United States Department of Health and Human Services [22] 
Hawaii — Hawaii Department of Human Services [23] 
Illinois — Illinois Department of Human Services [24] 
Michigan — Michigan Department of Human Services [25] 
North Carolina — North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services [26] 
Oklahoma — Oklahoma Department of Human Services [27] 
Oregon — Oregon Department of Human Services [28] 
Pennsylvania — Pennsylvania Department of Human Services [29] 
Vermont — Vermont Agency of Human Services [30] 
Welfare spending is a type of government support intended to ensure that members of a society can meet basic human needs such as food and shelter. Social security may either be synonymous with welfare, or refer specifically to social insurance programs which provide support only to those who have previously contributed, as opposed to social assistance programs which provide support on the basis of need alone. The International Labour Organization defines social security as covering support for those in old age, support for the maintenance of children, medical treatment, parental and sick leave, unemployment and disability benefits, and support for sufferers of occupational injury.
Minister of labour or labor is typically a cabinet-level position with portfolio responsibility for setting national labour standards, labour dispute mechanisms, employment, workforce participation, training and social security.
The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare is a cabinet level ministry of the Japanese government. It is commonly known as Kōrō-shō (厚労省) in Japan. The ministry provides services on health, labour and welfare.
A health department or health ministry is a part of government which focuses on issues related to the general health of the citizenry. Subnational entities, such as states, counties and cities, often also operate a health department of their own. Health departments perform food inspections and other health related inspections, vaccination programs, free STD and HIV tests, tobacco enforcement and cessation programs, and other medical assistance programs. Health departments also compile statistics about health issues within their area. The role of a health department may vary from one country to the other, but their primary objective is always the same; safeguarding and promoting health. In 1986, several of the world's national health departments met to establish an international guideline by which health departments operate. The meeting was in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and hence the guidelines established are known as the Ottawa Charter. The Ottawa Charter was designed to 'achieve Health for All'.
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is a division of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). It is headed by the Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services for Children and Families. It has a $49 billion budget for 60 programs that target children, youth and families. These programs include assistance with welfare, child support enforcement, adoption assistance, foster care, child care, and child abuse. The agency employs approximately 1,700 staff, including 1,200 federal employees and 500 contractors, where 60% are based in Washington, DC, with the remaining in regional offices located in Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City (Missouri), Denver, San Francisco, and Seattle.
The Department of Social Protection is a department of the Government of Ireland, tasked with administering Ireland's social welfare system. It oversees the provision of income support and other social services. It is led by the Minister for Social Protection.
Cúram Software was an Irish software company headquartered in Dublin, Ireland with offices in Australia, Germany, India, the United Kingdom and the United States. The company produces Social Enterprise Management (SEM) software and offers consulting services, certification, and training. Their name is an Irish word for "Care and Protection". The company was founded in 1990.
The Labour and Welfare Bureau is a policy bureau of the Government of Hong Kong responsible for employment, labor-development, manpower, human resources management, poverty-reduction, and social welfare in Hong Kong.
The Ministry of Labour and Social Economy (MITES) is the department of the Government of Spain responsible for planning and carrying out the government policy on labour relations and social economy.
A ministry of social affairs or department of social affairs is the common name for a government department found in states where the government is divided into ministries or departments. While there is some variation in the responsibilities of such ministries, the common thread between them is their responsibility for assisting members of society who are in a vulnerable position for example due to age, dependence on government aid, or being the employee in an employee/employer relationship. Ministries of this type cover matters such as social work, social protection and assistance, pensions, welfare, health and social security, and workplace standards for employees
A ministry of social security or department of social security is a government entity responsible for social security affairs. It may be a ministry office, a department, or, as in the United States, a nominally independent agency.
A ministry of labour (UK), or labor (US), also known as a department of labour, or labor, is a government department responsible for setting labour standards, labour dispute mechanisms, employment, workforce participation, training, and social security. Such a department may have national or regional authority.
Social protection in Armenia is an Armenian state policy, which addresses social protection issues and supports the social welfare of citizens. It is overseen by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.
The state agencies that form Thailand's public sector consist of several types of functioning bodies. While some agencies established by mandate of the constitution are independent, others are directly or indirectly answerable to the executive of the Royal Thai Government. The majority of these are government agencies, which employ the civil service as well as the military. Others include public organizations and state enterprises.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development is a government ministry in Saudi Arabia. It was established in 2019 after merging Ministry of Labour and Social Development with Ministry of Civil Service. It is responsible for community development, as well as overseeing labor affairs. The current Minister is Ahmed al-Rajhi who was appointed in June 2018.
The Ministry of Social Affairs (MAS), since 2023 known as Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and 2030 Agenda, is a department of the Government of Spain responsible for the government policies on social services, family, minors protection, disability and prevention of youth crime, adoptions and foster care and the promotion of cultural communication and youth association. Likewise, the department is responsible for the government policies on animal welfare and UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour is the main authority administrating labour affairs and social matters, including labour inspection, and a department of the Government of Syria.
