STATE AGENCIES UNDERGO SUNSET REVIEW PROCESS – TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION
Last week, I wrote about the Texas Facilities Commission undergoing the sunset review process. As a reminder, in order to identify and eliminate government waste, duplication and general inefficiencies in state agencies, the Texas Legislature established the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission in 1977. The sunset review process is designed to review each of these agencies every twelve years. This review is done by taking up a certain number of the state agencies each time the Texas Legislature convenes. In this week’s article, we are going to review the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.
According to the Texas State Historical Association, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission was originally created in the 1930’s under the Child Welfare Division of the State Board of Control. There were a number of both temporary and permanent sister agencies that were created in proceeding years. One of those agencies was the Texas Relief Commission which only operated from 1933-1934. In 1939, the Texas Legislature went on to form the Department of Public Welfare. This new structure was created in order to help centralize control with the other previously created agencies. After establishing the Department, its primary duties were to help assist dependent children, the elderly with limited resources, the blind, and those of whom that were permanently and totally disabled.
The agency also had the social services division which provided numerous services to children, adults, and families. This department’s division on social services had the fundamental responsibility of protecting children from neglect, abuse, and exploitation. In addition, this division also handled the adoptive services and was tasked with the licensing of child care as well as child placement facilities here in the state of Texas. As the agency as a whole continued to develop, in the 1980’s the Texas Legislature worked to define the services of the agency in to different categories of the services they provided as an agency. The main categories were defined as children, families, as well as aged and/or disabled individuals.
Eventually, in 1992, the Texas Legislature went on to designate the agency on the Texas Health and Human Services commission which would oversee a total of eleven different human services related areas in the state. At that time, a few of the agencies were the Texas Rehabilitation Commission, the Texas Department on Aging, and the Texas Commission for the Blind. These are a few of the departments that were placed under the overall umbrella of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission is an agency that has under gone multiple name changes over the years and has had its duties and responsibilities changed and/or transferred to and from other state agencies. Today, the agency is advised by the Texas Health and Human Services Council. This council is comprised of nine members that are appointed by the Governor and they help assist in establishing the various rules and policies of the agency. Additionally, the day to day operations of the agency are overseen by the executive commissioner who oversees the staff of the Health and Human Services Commission and implements the duties and responsibilities of the agency as directed by the council or Texas statute.
If you are interested in learning more visit Texas Health and Human Services Commission.
Some of the other agencies we will review in the upcoming weeks include the State Office of Administrative Hearings, the Texas Education Agency, and the Department of State Health Services, as well as a number of other agencies.
If you would like to learn more about go to Sunset Advisory Commission.
If you have any questions regarding the Texas Health and Human Services Commission or the sunset review process, please don’t hesitate to contact either my Capitol or District office. My offices are available at any time to assist with questions, concerns or comments (Capitol Office, 512-463-0672; District Office, 361-949-4603).
– State Representative Todd Hunter, District 32
Rep. Hunter represents Nueces (Part) County. He can be contacted at todd.hunter@house.state.tx.us or at 512-463-0672.
