SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 500

WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to recognize the Houston Department of Health and Human Services, which received national accreditation through the Public Health Accreditation Board in December of 2014; and

WHEREAS, In achieving this prestigious accreditation, the Houston Department of Health and Human Services became the first health department in Texas and only the second in a large United States city to attain this distinction; and

WHEREAS, The Public Health Accreditation Board is a nonprofit organization jointly supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; dedicated to advancing the quality and performance of tribal, state, local, and territorial public health departments, it sets standards that encourage the continuous improvement of the 3,000 governmental public health departments across the country, and it requires those seeking accreditation to undergo a rigorous, multifaceted assessment; and

WHEREAS, The Houston Department of Health and Human Services provides a wide range of services, including environmental regulation, food protection, senior nutrition, WIC, family planning, and clinical care for certain communicable diseases; moreover, it manages four health centers and 11 multiservice centers, and it offers a variety of human services citywide; and

WHEREAS, By participating in the Public Health Accreditation Board evaluation process, the Houston Department of Health and Human Services demonstrated the strength of its commitment to promoting the health and well-being of area residents, and its national accreditation is a testament to its success in meeting the highest standards of care, accountability, and responsiveness; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 84th Legislature, hereby congratulate the Houston Department of Health and Human Services on its receipt of national accreditation through the Public Health Accreditation Board and commend Mayor Annise Parker and department director Stephen Williams for their outstanding efforts toward the achievement of this goal; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for the agency, Mayor Parker, and Mr. Williams as an expression of esteem from the Texas Senate. Ellis

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President of the Senate

I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on April 9, 2015.

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Secretary of the Senate

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Member, Texas Senate