Burgum: Health, Human Services now united as one department to serve North Dakota citizens

BISMARCK, N.D. – Gov. Doug Burgum introduced that the combination of North Dakota’s Division of Well being and Division of Human Companies into one Well being and Human Companies (HHS) company is efficient at this time, Sept. 1, 2022.

The company might be led by HHS Commissioner Chris Jones. State Well being Officer Dr. Nizar Wehbi will present imaginative and prescient, management and session on state well being priorities.

“North Dakota’s Division of Well being and Division of Human Companies have an extended historical past of working collectively to serve North Dakotans,” Burgum mentioned. “Right now the 2 departments have formally built-in into one company, and we’re deeply grateful for the laborious work so many workforce members have invested on this effort. As a unified well being and human providers workforce, HHS has the chance to rework the citizen expertise and assist North Dakota grow to be the healthiest state within the nation.”

With a mixed portfolio of greater than 100 applications and providers, the HHS workforce has a big, long-term alternative to rework the way it collectively meets the well being and well-being wants of North Dakotans.

“We view Sept. 1 as our starting,” Jones mentioned. “Our precedence is to streamline and strengthen the trail to high quality and equitable applications and providers by working as one workforce and extra effectively collaborating with suppliers and companions to enhance the lives of North Dakotans. This work is important at this time and can proceed past Sept. 1.” 

The combination got here because of Home Invoice 1247, which was launched by Rep. Robin Weisz, chair of the Home Human Companies Committee, and co-championed by Sen. Judy Lee, chair of the Senate Human Companies Committee. Different co-sponsors included Reps. Invoice Devlin, Gary Kreidt, Karen Rohr and Matt Ruby, in addition to Sen. Howard Anderson.

“North Dakotans have needed to navigate a fancy system of businesses and applications to entry providers supporting their well being and well-being,” Weisz mentioned. “By bringing these two businesses collectively, we’ll simplify entry, construct on every company’s strengths, improve collaboration, and most significantly, ship applications and providers extra effectively and successfully to the residents of North Dakota.”

Well being and Human Companies offers providers that assist North Dakotans of all ages improve their well-being and high quality of life by supporting equitable entry to the social determinants of well being, which embrace financial stability, housing, schooling, meals, group and behavioral and bodily well being. The mixed company employs about 2,400 workforce members who’re primarily based throughout the state.