Texas Health and Human Services Commission

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The Brown-Heatly Building houses the commission's headquarters in Austin; it is partly named for the late State Representative William S. Heatly of Paducah in Cottle County. BrownHeatleyBuildingAustinTX.JPG
The Brown-Heatly Building houses the commission's headquarters in Austin; it is partly named for the late State Representative William S. Heatly of Paducah in Cottle County.
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The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is an agency within the Texas Health and Human Services System. In September 2016, Texas began transforming how it delivers health and human services to qualified Texans, with a goal of making the Health and Human Services System more efficient and effective. Sept. 1, 2017, marked another major milestone in this transformation.

Contents

The new accountable, restructured system:

Texas Health and Human Services now consists of 2 agencies: the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). HHS is headquartered in Austin, TX.

Benefits and services provided

Oversight of regulatory functions

More information

Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS)

Many of the direct client services that were performed by DSHS, such as services for women and children, and people with special health care needs, were transferred to HHSC in September 2016. DSHS now focuses on providing these functions:

Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS)

The 84th Texas Legislature, 2015, abolished this agency effective Sept. 1, 2017. DADS services were transferred to HHSC.

Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS)

House Bill 5, 85th Regular Legislative Session, 2017, established DFPS as an agency independent of Texas Health and Human Services effective Sept. 1, 2017. To comply with previous legislation, on Sept. 1, 2017, HHSC assumed responsibility for the child care licensing function previously managed by DFPS.

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