Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
In 1995, the Department of Health and the Department of Social Services consolidated to form the Department of Health and Social Services. The mission of the Department of Health and Social Services is to promote, maintain and enhance the health and well being of individuals and families in the Northwest Territories. In doing so, it has sole or joint responsibility for the administration of the following Acts: Aboriginal Custom Adoption Recognition Act; Adoption Act; Change of Name Act; Child and Family Services Act; Child Welfare Act; Dental Auxiliaries Act; Dental Mechanics Act; Dental Profession Act; Disease Registries Act; Emergency Medical Aid Act; Guardianship and Trusteeship Act; Hospital Insurance and Health and Social Services Administration Act (formerly Territorial Hospital Insurance Services Act); Human Tissue Act; Intercountry Adoption (Hague Convention) Act; Licensed Practical Nurses Act; Marriage Act; Medical Care Act; Medical Profession Act; Mental Health Act; Midwifery Profession Act; Nursing Profession Act; Ophthalmic Medical Assistants Act; Optometry Act; Personal Directives Act; Pharmacy Act; Psychologists Act; Public Health Act; Tobacco Control Act; Veterinary Profession Act; Vital Statistics Act.
The Department of Health and Social Services is responsible for programs related to: Adoption Management; Family Support and Child Protection Services; Community Wellness; Guardianship; Mental Health and Addictions; Environmental Health, Health Insurance Services; Licensing of Professionals; and reporting of health and illness related issues to the federal government. The Department also has responsibility for the office of the Chief Medical Health Officer, which is responsible for health and disease surveillance activities across the NWT, as well as prevention and disease control activities. Community Wellness programs are designed to provide funding to communities under health related programs such as: Aboriginal Head Start; AIDS Community Action Program ; Brighter Futures; Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program; Community Action Program for Children; Health Promotion Strategy Fund; Healthy Children Initiative; Hepatitis C Prevention; Population Health Fund. Environmental health provides for the delivery of various programs and services under the NWT Public Health Act and Regulations, and focuses on preventing disease and injury; promoting health; and improving the environment through the use of education, consultation, inspection, monitoring, and if necessary, by the enforcement of public health legislation.
The primary vehicles for the provision of health care are the eight Health and Social Services (HSS) Authorities which plan, manage and deliver a full spectrum of community and facility-based services for health care and social services. The eight Authorities are: Beaufort-Delta HSS Authority; Dehcho HSS Authority; Fort Smith HSS Authority; Hay River HSS Authority; Sahtu HSS Authority; Stanton Territorial Health Authority; Tlicho Community Services Agency; Yellowknife HSS Authority.
Organizationally the Department has under gone many reorganizations and realignments of its program delivery units and renaming of its divisions. In general, the organizational structures has tended to reflect departmental responsibilities and activities with divisions responsible for: directorate and finance support activities; policy, planning and reporting activities; community health issues, population health issues, territorial health services including insurance services and administration and support of the regional health authorities; child protection and family support services.