Associated Agencies

Associated Agencies

Immediate Office of the Secretary

The Office of the Secretary is responsible for the operations and coordination of the work of the Secretary of Health and Human Services. It includes the Offices of the Deputy Secretary, Chief of Staff, and General Counsel.

Food and Drug Administration

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates products such as drugs, biological products, and medical devices. FDA determines whether certain products can be sold in the marketplace and what restrictions should be placed on them; this includes birth control, medication abortion, fertility drugs, labor and delivery medications, and STI treatment.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the nation’s leading science-based, data-driven service organization that protects the public’s health. CDC manages data collection from state and local health departments in an effort to better understand health trends, including voluntary reporting of abortion vital statistics.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) provides health coverage to more than 160 million through Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and the Health Insurance Marketplace. CMS administers the federal portion of the Medicaid program, which is the largest public payer of reproductive health services and provides health coverage for more than 16 million women of reproductive age. CMS also enforces health care laws like the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), which requires federally funded hospitals to treat pregnant people experiencing emergency complications.

Office of Inspector General

The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) provides objective oversight to promote the economy, efficiency, effectiveness, and integrity of HHS programs, as well as the health and welfare of the people they serve. OIG guides more than 1,600 auditors, evaluators, investigators, data analysts, attorneys, and management professionals who carry out OIG investigations, such as how federal funds are being used to support reproductive health providers.

Office of the General Counsel

The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) is the legal team for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), providing representation and legal advice on a wide range of issues. OGC supports the development and implementation of the Department’s programs by providing legal services to the Secretary of HHS and the organization’s various agencies and divisions.

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) is the primary advisor to the Secretary on matters involving the nation’s public health, and is responsible for the Department’s strategic and policy direction. OASH includes the Office of Population Affairs, which runs the Title X program for domestic reproductive health services, Surgeon General, Office on Women’s Health, and Office of Minority Health.

Office of the Surgeon General (OSG)

Office of the Surgeon General: The Office of the Surgeon General is responsible for providing people in the US with the best scientific information available to help improve their health. The Surgeon General serves as a spokesperson for public health initiatives and campaigns. The Surgeon General also oversees and is a member, with the title Vice Admiral, of the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps, a group of public health professionals who work to protect, promote, and advance the health of the nation.

Office of Population Affairs

The Office of Population Affairs (OPA), which sits within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), is responsible for administering critical reproductive health programs like the Title X family planning program and the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program. OPA advises the Secretary and the Assistant Secretary for Health on a wide range of reproductive and adolescent health topics, including teen pregnancy prevention, family planning, and STI prevention.

Associated Personnel