Department of Human Services (GA908)

In October 1997 the Human Services portfolio was established, amalgamating the South Australian Health Commission, the former Department for Family and Community Services, the housing activities of the former Department of Housing and Urban Development, the South Australian Housing Trust, the South Australian Community Housing Authority, HomeStart Finance, and the Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science.

The Department of Human Services is organised into three sections -
1) Executive - directs the policies and activities of the agency.
2) Central Office - manages the processes and procedures needed to enact the policies.
3) Service Providers - are the primary point of contact with the community. Service Providers include: Family and Youth Services, Health Units, HomeStart, Non-government Service Providers, SA Community Housing Authority, SA Health Commission and SA Housing Trust.

The key features of the new structural arrangements are: integrated head office arrangements for the former functions of the Commission and the departments; continued separation between funding/planning and provider roles for health and housing, and a more consistent arrangements for family and youth services; separate operational focus on metropolitan and country communities as well as on sectors and issues of statewide significance.

While operations relating to housing, health and family and community services are performed in dedicated units, some of the administration functions common to all units are administered by corporate level units within DHS eg: Human Resources.

The Department of Human Services split on the 1st of July 2004 to become the Department of Health and the Department for Families and Communities.

References:
1) Department of Human Services. Annual Report 1997-98.
2) Department of Human Services. Website - www.dhs.sa.gov.au. 21.01.2000.
3) State Records of South Australia. Social and Administrative Context of the SAHC - An Overview June 1998. SAHC Review of Clinical Records RDS.