The Department of Health and Senior Services is responsible for managing and promoting all public health programs to improve life and wellness for Missourians. They are responsible for maintaining programs to control and prevent disease; regulation and licensure of health and child care facilities; and programs designed to create safeguards and health resources for seniors and the state's vulnerable populations. The department and its four divisions, Community & Public Health, Administration, Regulation & Licensure, Senior & Disability Services; is maintained by a director who is appointed by the

State Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political r ...

and approved by the

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

History

In 1883, Missouri legislature created the State Board of Health after citizens campaigned for a

state agency A government or state agency, sometimes an appointed commission, is a permanent or semi-permanent organization in the machinery of government The machinery of government (sometimes abbreviated as MoG) is the interconnected structures and proc ...

that would be responsible for promoting Missourian's health and preventing disease. This was a successful endeavor as the population and life expectancy of the average citizen of

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

rose. When the state government reorganized in 1945, the State Board of Health was replaced with the Division of Health under the Department of Public Health and Welfare. The State Board of Health was again created in 1967 but under the Division of Health. When the state government reorganized again in 1974, the Division of Health was transferred to the Department of Social Services. At the same time, the divisions programs on environmental engineering and solid waste programs were transferred to the

Department of Natural Resources This article lists subnational environmental agencies in the United States, by state. Agencies with a variety of titles and responsibilities are included, e.g. Department of Environment, Department of Environmental Conservation, Department of E ...

and the Missouri Crippled Children's Service became a part of the Division of Health. In 1985, the Department of Health was created to oversee all public health programs. 15 years later, the Division of Aging was transferred under the Department of Health and renamed The Department of Health and Senior Services in 2001.

References

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External links

Official Website of the Department of Health & Senior Services.
* Publications by or abou
the Department of Health & Senior Services
at Internet Archive. 1883 establishments in Missouri State departments of health of the United States Organizations based in Jefferson City, Missouri

Health Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity".World Health Organization. (2006)''Constitution of the World Health Organiza ...