Texas Department of State Health Services

Texas Department of State Health Services is a state agency of Texas. The department was created by House Bill 2292 of the 78th Texas Legislature in 2003 through the merging of four state agencies: the Texas Department of Health, Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, Texas Health Care Information Council, and Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse.[1] The department provides state-operated health care services, including hospitals, health centers, and health agencies. The agency is headquartered at the Central Campus at 1100 West 49th Street in Austin.[2] The DSHS Council governs the department.[3]

Headquarters of the Texas Department of State Health Services
Austin State Hospital

The agency's Mental Health and Substance Abuse Division, along with Public Policy Research Institute at Texas A&M University coordinate the Texas School Survey,[4] a program consisting of two surveys on drug and alcohol abuse, an annual one done at the local school-district level and a biennial statewide survey. The statewide survey, called the Texas School Survey of Substance Use, is the largest survey of its kind to be conducted in the United States and administered to over 100,000 public school students between grades 7–12.[5][6]

Leadership

Dr. Jennifer Shuford is the Commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services. She was appointed to this position in December 2022. [7]

Geographic structure

The agency provides an array of public health services and oversight across the state through eight regional offices.[8][9][10]

  • Region 1 - Lubbock
  • Region 2/3 - Arlington
  • Region 4/5 North - Tyler
  • Region 6/5 South - Houston
  • Region 7 - Temple
  • Region 8 - San Antonio
  • Region 9/10 - El Paso
  • Region 11 - Harlingen

References
  1. "2004 Texas Register Archive". University of North Texas. 2004. Retrieved November 22, 2009.
  2. "Visitor Information." Texas Department of State Health Services. Retrieved on March 13, 2009.
  3. "DSHS Council." Texas Department of State Health Services. Retrieved on March 13, 2009.
  4. "Who is Responsible for the Texas School Survey of Drug and Alcohol Use?". Texas School Survey.org. Retrieved August 28, 2009.
  5. "Student alcohol, drug use declines" (PDF). Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse. September 18, 2000. Retrieved August 28, 2009.
  6. "The Secret Edge - Steroids in High School". Dallas Morning News. 2005. Retrieved August 28, 2009.
  7. Ura, Alexa (December 27, 2022). "Jennifer Shuford named commissioner of Texas public health agency". The Texas Tribune. Archived from the original on May 14, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  8. "Texas Department of State Health Services, Public Health Regions". Dshs.texas.gov. April 11, 2019. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
  9. "Texas Department of State Health Services, Health Service Regions Map". Dshs.texas.gov. December 4, 2018. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
  10. "Texas Department of State Health Services, Public Health Regions". Dshs.state.tx.us. April 11, 2019. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
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