Department of Health and Human Services (Victoria)

Department of Health and Human Services
Department overview
Formed1 January 2015 (2015-01-01)
Preceding agencies
  • Department of Health III
  • Department of Human Services
Dissolved1 February 2021 (2021-02-01)
Superseding agencies
JurisdictionVictoria, Australia
Headquarters50 Lonsdale Street,
Melbourne, Victoria 3000
Employees8,732 (June 2020)
Annual budget$22.0 billion (FY 2019–20)
Ministers responsible
Department executive
  • Professor Euan Wallace AM, Secretary
Websitedhhs.vic.gov.au
Footnotes
[1]

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) was a government department in Victoria, Australia. Commencing operation on 1 January 2015, it was responsible for the state's health system, as well as various other aspects of social policy.

The DHHS was formed following machinery of government changes in the aftermath of the 2014 state election, assuming the functions of the previous Department of Health and Department of Human Services, respectively.[2][3]

After further re-structures in January 2019, the department's responsibilities relating to sport and recreation were instead transferred to the newly created Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions.

On 30 November 2020, the Premier announced that Health and Human Services functions would be separated into a new Department of Health (DoH) and the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH). The new DoH would oversee public health, aging, mental health and ambulance service portfolios while DFFH would hold responsibility for child protection, housing and disability. As part of this change, DFFH would gain a number of functions that currently reside with The Department of Premier and Cabinet. The split took effect on 1 February 2021.[4]

  1. ^ Annual Report 2019-20 (PDF). Melbourne: Department of Health and Human Services. October 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  2. ^ "Statement from the Premier of Victoria announcing machinery of government changes". scribd.com. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
  3. ^ Donaldson, David (5 December 2014). "Victorian service reshuffle: super-departments born". The Mandarin. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  4. ^ Grand, Chip Le (30 November 2020). "Government to separate Health and Human Services departments". The Age. Retrieved 30 November 2020.