Seal of the United States Public Health Service
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Logo of the United States Public Health Service
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Flag of the U.S. Public Health Service |
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Agency overview | |
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Formed | 1798 (reorganized/renamed: 1871/1889/1902/1912) |
Jurisdiction | Federal government of the United States |
Headquarters | Washington, D.C. |
Agency executive |
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Parent agency | Department of Health and Human Services |
Child agencies | |
Website | www |
The Public Health Service Act of 1944 structured the United States Public Health Service (PHS), founded in 1798, as the primary division of the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW; which was established in 1953), which later became the United States Department of Health and Human Services in 1979–1980 (when the Education agencies were separated into their own U.S. Department of Education). The Office of the Surgeon General was created in 1871. The PHS comprises all Agency Divisions of Health and Human Services and the Commissioned Corps. The Assistant Secretary for Health (ASH) oversees the PHS and the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.
Agencies that are components of the Public Health Service
The following Staff Offices report directly to the Secretary:
The following Operating Divisions report directly to the Secretary:
The United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (PHSCC) employs more than 6,000 public health professionals for the purpose of delivering public health promotion and disease prevention programs and advancing public health science. Members of the Commissioned Corps often serve on the frontlines in the fight against disease and poor health conditions.
As one of the United States seven uniformed services, the PHS Commissioned Corps fills public health leadership and service roles within federal government agencies and programs. The PHS Commissioned Corps includes officers drawn from many professions, including environmental and occupational health, medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy, psychology, social work, hospital administration, health record administration, nutrition, engineering, science, veterinary, health information technology, and other health-related occupations.