Message from HHS

The work of the Department of Health and Human Services has never mattered more than it does today.

As a country, we have an unprecedented opportunity to help more Americans attain the building blocks of healthy and productive lives. As a Department, we are therefore focused on advancing our mission in the present, with an eye toward the future as we look to deliver impact to the American people:

• To help more Americans achieve the security of quality, affordable health care for themselves and for their families;
• To keep food and medical products safe;
• To protect against chronic and infectious diseases;
• To help Americans find jobs;
• To help parents access affordable child care;
• To explore the frontiers of cutting-edge biomedical research; and
• To fulfill our obligations to tribal communities for health care and human services.

To move this mission forward, the men and women of this Department are working tirelessly to prepare for the next public health emergency; to push the outer bounds of innovation and discovery to find that next life-saving treatment or cure; and to help a new generation of Americans grow up healthier, in safe, supportive environments.

We are committed to working smarter and better. Therefore, we relentlessly evaluate our actions and initiatives, asking ourselves and our colleagues: What needs to be changed? What can be done less expensively, faster, more efficiently, and with greater transparency? How can we serve Americans better?

It was with these goals and questions in mind that we developed this Strategic Plan for fiscal years 2014-2018. The Plan reflects the contributions of every operating and staff division and sets forth the Department’s overarching goals for the next five years for strengthening health care; advancing scientific knowledge and innovation; advancing the health, safety, and well-being of the American people; and increasing efficiency, transparency, and accountability throughout our Department.

Together, these goals form our vision for how HHS can contribute to an even stronger, healthier, and more prosperous America, both today and tomorrow.

As President Obama has said, “We are and always will be a country that can do great things together.”