Texas. Dept. of State Health Services.

House Bill 2292 (78th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2003) merged twelve state health and human services agencies into five, officially abolishing the Texas Department of Health (effective September 1, 2004) and creating the new Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). DSHS took over all of the "powers, duties, functions, programs, and activities" of the Department of Health. (In addition it assumed the duties of the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, the Texas Health Care Information Council, and the mental health and state hospital operations formerly under the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation.)

(Sources include: the DSHS website, http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/, accessed October 2006.)