Historical Highlights
The roots of the Department of Health and Human Services go back to the earliest days of the nation:
1798
Passage of an act for the relief of sick and disabled seamen, which established a federal network of hospitals for the care of merchant seamen, forerunner of today's U.S. Public Health Service.
1862
President Lincoln appointed a chemist, Charles M. Wetherill, to serve in the new Department of Agriculture. This was the beginning of the Bureau of Chemistry, forerunner to the Food and Drug Administration.
1871
Appointment of the first Supervising Surgeon (later called Surgeon General) for the Marine Hospital Service, which had been organized the prior year.
1878
Passage of the National Quarantine Act began the transfer of quarantine functions from the states to the federal Marine Hospital Service.
1887
The federal government opened a one-room laboratory on Staten Island for research on disease, thereby planting the seed that was to grow into the National Institutes of Health.
1891
Passage of immigration legislation, assigning to the Marine Hospital Service the responsibility for medical examination of arriving immigrants.
1902
Conversion of Marine Hospital Service into the Public Health and Marine Hospital Service in recognition of its expanding activities in the field of public health. In 1912, the name was shortened to the Public Health Service.
1906
Congress passed the Pure Food and Drugs Act, authorizing the government to monitor the purity of foods and the safety of medicines, now a responsibility of the FDA.
1912
President Theodore Roosevelt's first White House Conference urged creation of the Children's Bureau to combat exploitation of children.
1921
The Bureau of Indian Affairs Health Division was created, the forerunner to the Indian Health Service.
1930
Creation of the National Institute (late Institutes) of Health, out of the Public Health Service's Hygenic Laboratory.
1935
Passage of the Social Security Act.
1938
Passage of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.
1939
The Federal Security Agency was created, bringing together related federal activities in the fields of health, education and social insurance.
1946
The Communicable Disease Center was established, forerunner of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Cabinet-level Department of Health, Education and Welfare was created under President Eisenhower, officially coming into existence April 11, 1953. In 1979, the Department of Education Organization Act was signed into law, providing for a separate Department of Education. HEW became the Department of Health and Human Services, officially arriving on May 4, 1980. Some highlight dates in HEW and HHS history:
1955
Licensing of the Salk polio vaccine.
The Indian Health Service was transferred to HHS from the
Department of Interior.
1961
First White House Conference on Aging.
1962
Passage of the Migrant Health Act,
providing support for clinics serving agricultural workers.
1964
Release of the first Surgeon
General's Report on Smoking and Health.
1965
Creation of the Medicare and Medicaid
programs, making comprehensive health care available to millions of
Americans.
Also in 1965, the Older Americans Act
created the nutritional and social programs administered by
HHS’ Administration on Aging.
In addition, the Head Start program was
created.
1966
International Smallpox Eradication program established -- led by the U.S. Public Health Service, the worldwide eradication of smallpox was accomplished in 1977.
Also in 1966, the Community Health Center and Migrant Health Center programs were launched.
1970
Creation of the National Health Service Corps.
1971
National Cancer Act signed into law.
1975
Child Support Enforcement program established.
1977
Creation of the Health Care Financing
Administration to manage Medicare and Medicaid separately from the
Social Security Administration.
1980
Federal funding provided to states for foster
care and adoption assistance.
1981
Identification of AIDS. In 1984,
the HIV virus was identified by PHS and French scientists. In
1985, a blood test to detect HIV was licensed.
1984
National Organ Transplantation Act signed
into law.
1988
Creation of the JOBS program and federal
support for child care.
Passage of the McKinney Act to provide
health care to the homeless.
1989
Creation of the Agency for Health Care
Policy and Research (now the Agency for Healthcare Research
and Quality).
1990
Human Genome Project established.
Passage of the Nutrition Labeling and Education
Act, authorizing the food label.
Also, the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resource
Emergency (CARE) Act began providing support for people with AIDS.
1993
The Vaccines for Children Program is
established, providing free immunizations to all children in
low-income families.
1995
The Social Security Administration became
an independent agency.
1996
Enactment of welfare reform under the
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation
Act.
Enactment of the Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
1997
Creation of the State Children's Health
Insurance Program (SCHIP), enabling states to extend health
coverage to more uninsured children.
1999
The Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 is
signed, making it possible for millions of Americans with
disabilities to join the workforce without fear of losing their
Medicaid and Medicare coverage. It also modernizes the
employment services system for people with disabilities.
Initiative on combating bioterrorism is launched.
2000
Publication of human genome sequencing.
2001
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
is created, replacing the Health Care Financing Administration.
HHS responds to the nation’s first
bioterrorism attack -- delivery of anthrax through the mail.
2002
Office of Public Health Emergency Preparedness
created to coordinate efforts against bioterrorism and other
emergency health threats.
2003
Enactment of the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement, and
Modernization Act of 2003, the most significant expansion of
Medicare since its enactment, including a prescription drug
benefit.
Secretaries of HEW and HHS
April 11, 1953 - July 31, 1955
August 1, 1955 - July 31, 1958
August 1, 1958 - January 19, 196
January 21, 1961 - July 13, 1962
July 31, 1962 - August 17, 1965
August 18, 1965 - March 1, 1968
May 16, 1968 - January 20, 1969
January 21, 1969 - June 23, 1970
June 24, 1970 - January 29, 1973
February 12, 1973 - August 8, 1975
August 8, 1975 - January 20, 1977
January 25, 1977 - August 3, 1979
August 3, 1979 - January 20, 1981
January 22, 1981 - February 3, 1983
March 9, 1983 - December 13, 1985
December 13, 1985 - January 20, 1989
March 1, 1989 - January 20, 1993
January 22, 1993 - January 20, 2001
February 2, 2001 -
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