DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION AND WELFARE
The Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) was created on April 11,
1953, under legislation approved by Congress on April 1, 1953, which abolished its
predecessor - the Federal Security Agency. According to the 1978/79 U.S. Government
Manual;
The Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) is the Cabinetlevel department of the Federal executive branch most concerned with
people and most involved with the Nation's human concerns. In one way or
another whether it is mailing out social security checks, or improving the
quality of American education, or making health services more widely
available
HEW touches the lives of more Americans than any other
Federal agency. It is literally a department of people serving people, from
newborn infants to our most elderly citizens.
HEW has five principal divisions, each of which sponsors at least one applied
extramural research program. The five divisions are: the Office of Human Development Services, the Public Health Service, the Health Care Financing Administration,
the Social Security Administration, and the Education Division. In addition, there are
eleven other Offices within HEW and one Executive Secretariat. Of the 18 research
programs sponsored by HEW that have been included, all but four are either under the
purview of the Public Health Service or the Office of Human Development Services.
HEW's applied research program includes research studies in the areas of health,
health services delivery, human services delivery, social services delivery, aging, the
problems of the handicapped and education. Most of HEW's applied research is designed
to improve the delivery of services in these areas. Certain of HEW's programs go
beyond these broad mandates such as the Occupational Safety and Health Program
whose research agenda is based primarily on the need to establish regulations governing
health and safety considerations on the job. The research programs in Population;
Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health; Education R <5c D; and Aging do not have
service delivery as their primary research focus. The orientation of these programs is
toward the creation of new knowledge in their area of concern and in some instances
the improvement of treatment methodologies.
Detailed information concerning
specific programs offered by HEW may be found in the R <5c D Catalog.
Education Division (ED)
HEW's Education Division has three principal components: the Office of the
Assistant Secretary for Education, the Office of Education, and the National Institute
HEW -1
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION AND WELFARE
The Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) was created on April 11,
1953, under legislation approved by Congress on April 1, 1953, which abolished its
predecessor - the Federal Security Agency. According to the 1978/79 U.S. Government
Manual;
The Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) is the Cabinetlevel department of the Federal executive branch most concerned with
people and most involved with the Nation's human concerns. In one way or
another whether it is mailing out social security checks, or improving the
quality of American education, or making health services more widely
available - HEW touches the lives of more Americans than any other
Federal agency. It is literally a department of people serving people, from
newborn infants to our most elderly citizens.
HEW has five principal divisions, each of which sponsors at least one applied
extramural research program. The five divisions are: the Office of Human Development Services, the Public Health Service, the Health Care Financing Administration,
the Social Security Administration, and the Education Division. In addition, there are
eleven other Offices within HEW and one Executive Secretariat. Of the 18 research
programs sponsored by HEW that have been included, all but four are either under the
purview of the Public Health Service or the Office of Human Development Services.
HEW's applied research program includes research studies in the areas of health,
health services delivery, human services delivery, social services delivery, aging, the
problems of the handicapped and education. Most of HEW's applied research is designed
to improve the delivery of services in these areas. Certain of HEW's programs go
beyond these broad mandates such as the Occupational Safety and Health Program
whose research agenda is based primarily on the need to establish regulations governing
health and safety considerations on the job. The research programs in Population;
Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health; Education R & D; and Aging do not have
service delivery as their primary research focus. The orientation of these programs is
toward the creation of new knowledge in their area of concern and in some instances
Detailed information concerning
the improvement of treatment methodologies.
specific programs offered by HEW may be found in the R & D Catalog.
Education Division (ED)
HEW's Education Division has three principal components: the Office of the
Assistant Secretary for Education, the Office of Education, and the National Institute
HEW-1
of Education. The Office of the Assistant Secretary has administrative responsibility
for the Division. The Office of Education handles most of the Division's programmatic
activities such as Title I, bilingual education, etc. It also conducts research via its
Handicapped R & D program. The majority of the education research sponsored by the
Education Division is handled by the National Institute of Education which concerns
itself primarily with educational research and development.
Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA)
The Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) was formed in 1977. It has the
responsibility for the administration of the medicare, medicaid, quality assurance and
long term care programs. HCFA's sole research program studies ways of improving
health care delivery in the U.S. The HCFA's research program is administered by the
Administration's Office of Policy Planning and Research.
Office of Human Development Services (HDS)
The Office of Human Development Services (HDS) administers social and rehabilitation services and human development programs designed to meet the needs of
vulnerable populations, including the elderly, children of low-income families, handicapped persons, runaway youth, and Native Americans. There are five administrations
in HDS and two supplementary functions - the Office of Veterans' Affairs and the
Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board.
Applied extramural research is carried out by the five Administrations. These are
the Administration on Aging; the Administration for Children, Youth and Families; the
Rehabilitation Service Administration; Administration for Public Services; and the
Administration for Native Americans. In addition, HDS provides funds for research
which cuts across social service issues.
Public Health Service (PHS)
The basic mission of the Public Health Service (PHS) is to protect and advance the
nation's health. It serves as the principal health component of HEW and is under the
direction of the Assistant Secretary for Health. The PHS is composed of six major
agencies, four of which are engaged in applied extramural research of interest to states
and localities. These are: the Health Resources Administration; the Health Services
HEW-2