New State Health And Human Services Department Launched

Governor Rick Snyder on Tuesday formally recognized the launch of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, representing a merger of two former departments and creation of the largest department in Michigan government.

The governor says the goal is to better serve people, and bring more efficiency to that service.

The transition takes place just as court-appointed monitors reported this week that while there have been improvements, the state’s efforts to prevent foster children from being exposed to neglect and abuse continues to be a “persistent and dire problem.”

The governor noted an I-T system which the state under-invested in for  “a long, long time” is something they’re still recovering from. He says lately there have been “significant investments” in IT.

State House Democrat Andy Schor of Ingham County says he’s giving the governor’s effort “the benefit of the doubt” that he and his administration are willing to address the IT issues, but if he’s still hearing of IT problems in eight months to a year, he says “you will hear different comments from me.”