The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DOH) is a Cabinet-level department of the Government of the United State of America. The DOH has the goal of protecting the health of all Americans and seeks to provide essential human services. The motto of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is “improving the health, safety, and well-being of America”. Before the Department of Education was split off in 1979, the Department of Health was called the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.
The DOH is administered by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. As of October 2010, this position is held by Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. Secretary Sebelius oversees the many different responsibilities assigned the the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, including the United State Public Health Service, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, the Office of the Surgeon General, and the Office of the Inspector General.
The Office of the Inspector General is the division of the DOH that investigates white collar crimes related to Medicare and Medicaid fraud or abuse. The Surgeon General is the Department of Health official responsible for addressing matters of public health and immediately directing the actions of the Commissioned Corps. Under the Child Support Recovery Act, officials from the US Department of Health and Human Services identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals who willfully avoid satisfying their child support obligations.
