                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

POSITION ESTABLISHED; AGENCIES FOR WHICH RESPONSIBLE; ADDITIONAL POWERS (§
2.2-212)

A. The position of Secretary of Health and Human Resources (the Secretary) is
created. The Secretary of Health and Human Resources shall be responsible to the
Governor for the following agencies: Department of Health, Department for the
Blind and Vision Impaired, Department of Health Professions, Department of
Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, Department for Aging and
Rehabilitative Services, Department of Social Services, Department of Medical
Assistance Services, Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing, the
Office of Children&#8217;s Services, the Assistive Technology Loan Fund
Authority, and the Opioid Abatement Authority. The Governor may, by executive
order, assign any other state executive agency to the Secretary of Health and
Human Resources, or reassign any agency listed above to another Secretary.

B. As requested by the Secretary and to the extent authorized by federal law,
the agencies of the Secretariat shall share data, records, and information about
applicants for and recipients of services from the agencies of the Secretariat,
including individually identifiable health information for the purposes of (i)
streamlining administrative processes and reducing administrative burdens on the
agencies, (ii) reducing paperwork and administrative burdens on the applicants
and recipients, and (iii) improving access to and quality of services provided
by the agencies.

C. Unless the Governor expressly reserves such power to himself, the Secretary
shall (i) serve as the lead Secretary for the coordination and implementation of
the long-term care policies of the Commonwealth and for the blueprint for
livable communities 2025 throughout the Commonwealth, working with the
Secretaries of Transportation, Commerce and Trade, and Education, and the
Commissioner of Insurance, to facilitate interagency service development and
implementation, communication, and cooperation; (ii) serve as the lead Secretary
for the Children&#8217;s Services Act, working with the Secretary of Education
and the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to facilitate
interagency service development and implementation, communication, and
cooperation; and (iii) coordinate the disease prevention activities of agencies
in the Secretariat to ensure efficient, effective delivery of health related
services and financing.

HISTORY: 1976, c. 729, §§ 2.1-51.13, 2.1-51.14, 2.1-51.15; 1978, c. 635; 1982,
cc. 345, 459; 1983, c. 20; 1984, cc. 720, 781; 1985, cc. 447, 448; 1987, cc.
219, 698; 1988, cc. 646, 765; 1989, cc. 614, 695; 1990, c. 458; 1991, c. 563;
1994, c. 755; 1996, cc. 492, 902; 1998, c. 793; 2000, c. 937; 2001, cc. 577,
777, 844; 2004, cc. 14, 142; 2006, cc. 344, 380; 2007, cc. 10, 399, 534, 581;
2009, cc. 813, 840; 2010, cc. 411, 801; 2012, cc. 803, 835; 2014, cc. 115, 490;
2015, c. 366; 2017, c. 467; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 306, 307.