Texas Department of Health

The Texas Department of Health became part of the Department of State Health Services, which is also known as DSHS on September 1, 2004. It combines the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, the Texas Department of Health, the mental health services of the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation and the Texas Health Care Information Council.

The mission of the department is to help all people including children, elderly and people with disabilities and also the unprotected to improve their state of health, prevent them from the spread of disease, provide direct health services and promote emergency preparedness. It also aims to prevent them from abuse, neglect and exploitation.

With the consolidation of the 4 agencies, DSHS now also includes treatment and prevention for mental illness and substance abuse in its public health framework. But the focus is primarily on improving the health of all people living in this American state.

Here are a few of the Programs/Services that are being offered.

Adolescent Health: It protects and promotes the health of adolescents.

Alzheimer's Disease: It supports educational programs to assist Alzheimer's patients, their families and the various long-term care providers.

Anatomical Gift Educational Program: This is a statewide program with the goal of educating Texas residents about anatomical gifts. Such gifts are organ and tissue gifts that can be used in transplantation.

Arthritis Program: It works to reduce arthritis through secondary and tertiary prevention, including self-management programs and health communication strategies, and monitors the prevalence of arthritis among Texans.

Cancer Registry: It maintains a population based cancer incidence reporting system that collects, analyzes and disseminates information on all new cases of cancer.

Center for Health Statistics: Work undertaken is the collection of population data, county and regional health facts, county rankings, migration for birth and also hospital surveys.

Children with special health care needs: It promotes comprehensive coordinated, community-based services for such children and their families.

Infectious Disease Control Unit: This unit promotes epidemiology, surveillance, education, risk stratification/communication, consultation and disease interventions.

Injury Prevention & Control: It focuses on collecting data to better define the magnitude of injuries in the state and provide information and resources on how to prevent injuries.