Texas Department of State Health Services: Difference between revisions

'''Texas Department of State Health Services''' is a state agency of [[Texas]]. The department was created by House Bill 2292 of the 78th Texas Legislature in 2003 through thhethe merging of four state agencies: the [[Texas Department of Health]], [[Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation]], [[Texas Health Care Information Council]], and [[Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://texinfo.library.unt.edu/texasregister/html/2004/sep-10/transfer/transfer.html |title=2004 Texas Register Archive |publisher=University of North Texas |year=2004 |accessdateaccess-date=November 22, 2009}}</ref> The department provides state-operated health care services, including hospitals, health centers, and health agencies. The agency is headquartered at the Central Campus at 1100 West 49th Street in [[Austin, Texas|Austin]].<ref>"[http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/visitor/default.shtm Visitor Information]." ''Texas Department of State Health Services''. Retrieved on March 13, 2009.</ref> The DSHS Council governs the department.<ref>"[http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/council/default.shtm DSHS Council]." ''Texas Department of State Health Services''. Retrieved on March 13, 2009.</ref>

The agency's Mental Health and Substance Abuse Division, along with Public Policy Research Institute at [[Texas A&M University]] coordinate the Texas School Survey,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://texasschoolsurvey.org/WhosResponsible/WhosResponsible.asp |title=Who is Responsible for the Texas School Survey of Drug and Alcohol Use? |publisher=Texas School Survey.org |accessdateaccess-date=August 28, 2009}}</ref> a program consisting of two surveys on drug and alcohol abuse, an annual one done at the local school-district level and a biennial statewide survey. The statewide survey, called the Texas School Survey of Substance Use, is the largest survey of its kind to be conducted in the United States and administered to over 100,000 public school students between grades 7–12.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/sa/Research/survey/schoolsurvey.pdf |title=Student alcohol, drug use declines |publisher=[[Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse]]|date=September 18, 2000 |accessdateaccess-date=August 28, 2009 |format=PDF}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dallasnews.com/s/dws/spe/2005/steroids/problem.html |title=The Secret Edge - Steroids in High School |work=[[Dallas Morning News]] |year=2005 |accessdateaccess-date=August 28, 2009}}</ref>

Dr. JohnJennifer HellerstedtShuford is the Commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services. She was appointed to this position in December 2022. <ref>{{cite web |url-status=httplive |archive-date=May 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://wwwweb.dshsarchive.stateorg/web/20230514152104/https://www.txtexastribune.usorg/orgchart2022/12/27/texas-health-commissioner-jennifer-shuford/default.shtm |titlelast=TexasUra Department|first=Alexa of|date=Dec State27, Health2022 Services,|website=[[The OrganizationalTexas ChartTribune]] |publisherlanguage=Dshs.state.tx.usen |access-date=2019-05-2210 August 2023 |accessdatetitle=2019Jennifer Shuford named commissioner of Texas public health agency |url=https://www.texastribune.org/2022/12/27/texas-06health-10commissioner-jennifer-shuford/}}</ref>

The agency provides an array of public health services and oversight across the state through eight regional offices.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dshs.texas.gov/regions/default.shtm |title=Texas Department of State Health Services, Public Health Regions |publisher=Dshs.texas.gov |date=2019-04-11 |accessdateaccess-date=2019-06-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dshs.texas.gov/regions/state.shtm |title=Texas Department of State Health Services, Health Service Regions Map |publisher=Dshs.texas.gov |date=2018-12-04 |accessdateaccess-date=2019-06-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/regions/default.shtm |title=Texas Department of State Health Services, Public Health Regions |publisher=Dshs.state.tx.us |date=2019-04-11 |accessdateaccess-date=2019-06-10}}</ref>