Documenting Your Public Service

Mission of HHS

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the United States government’s principal agency for protecting the health of all American citizens and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves.

The major work of the Department, including its highest priority activities and high priority performance goals, include:

• Transformation of health care
• Prevention and wellness
• Early childhood health and development
• Protection of American citizens in public health emergencies
• Pursuit and acceleration of scientific advances that benefit patient care
• Improvement of our food safety system

HHS Federal Records Representatives

Erwin Weston
Department Records Officer
202-690-5521

DEFINITION

What Are Federal records?

By law Federal records are

• all documentary materials, including:
  • policies and procedures
  • statistical data
  • reports
  • legal opinions and decisions
  • research data and studies
  • letters and memoranda
  • completed forms
  • photographs
  • audio and video recordings
  • posters and graphics
  • architectural and engineering documents

• regardless of physical form, including:
  • paper
  • electronic, including electronic mail
  • sound and visual recordings
  • made or received by an agency of the U.S. Government under Federal law or in connection with the transaction of public business, and
  • preserved or appropriate for preservation as evidence of agency functions, organization, and activities or because of the value of the information they contain (44 U.S.C. 3301).

THIS MEANS:

All HHS employees are responsible for:

Creating and keeping records of their work.

Federal employees have four basic obligations regarding Federal records:

• Conduct work in accordance with Federal records management regulations and the Agency's records management policy and procedures.
• Create and manage the records necessary to document official activities. This includes creating appropriate records documenting meetings, conversations, e-mail messages, telephone calls, and other forms of communication that affect the conduct of official Agency business.
• Only destroy records in accordance with approved records schedules and never remove or destroy records from the Agency without authorization.
• File personal papers and non-record materials separately from official Agency records.

GOOD RECORDKEEPING BY HHS EMPLOYEES:

• Contributes to the smooth operation of the agency's programs by making the information needed for decision making and operations readily available
• Provides information useful to successor officials and staff for background and analysis, facilitating transitions between Administrations
• Creates a complete record of official HHS actions that will remain with the agency for future use by agency staff
• Ensures accountability to the Administration, Congress, and the American people