About the Department

The Department provides a lead role in policy, planning, program development, and support to the four Regional Health Authorities and other mandated health and community service agencies. The Department also monitors and provides feedback as appropriate to the Authorities and agencies with respect to program implementation, accountability issues and health and community outcomes.

The Department ensures the province benefits from best practices, standards and guidelines prevalent in other jurisdictions through representing the health interests of Newfoundland and Labradorians in all intergovernmental discussions, initiatives and agreements and by partnering and collaborating with other departments of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, governments in other jurisdictions and the Federal Government.

The Department is the lead in the multi-departmental initiatives for Wellness, Healthy Aging, and Mental Health and Addictions. The Department is a participant in the multi-departmental initiatives for Violence Prevention, Immigration Strategy, and Poverty Reduction.

The Department is accountable for 41 pieces of legislation and all the orders and regulations made under those Acts. The Department is also accountable to ensure budget controls are in place and adhered to by the Authorities and other agencies.

Mandate

The following mandate describes the responsibilities of the Department of Health and Community Services (Source: Executive Council Act, Regulation 82/03):

To provide leadership, coordination, monitoring and support to the regional health authorities and entities that provide services in the following areas:
- The preservation and promotion of health
- The prevention and control of disease
- Public health and the enforcement of public health standards
- The administration of health care facilities
- Programs for persons with disabilities and mental health and addictions issues
- Health professional education and training programs
- Planning for, and provision of, initiatives for seniors
- The control, possession, handling, keeping and sale of food and drugs
To provide funding for the following:
- Insured medical and hospital services
- Dental and pharmaceutical services for eligible individuals
- Subsidies to eligible individuals for long term care and community support services
- Grants to select community agencies in support of the department’s mandate
- The purchase of seats and bursary programs for students in select professional or technical fields connected with health and community services

Vision

The vision of the Department of Health and Community Services is for individuals, families and communities to achieve optimal health and well-being.

Values

We believe in:

Professionalism
Each person is qualified and competent, and supported in their work through a culture that encourages continuing education and employee development.

Excellence
Each person makes decisions based on the best evidence available and follows proven best practices to ensure individual and departmental performance is maintained at the highest possible standard.

Transparency and Accountability
Each person takes their responsibilities to their clients seriously and contributes to a culture of openness and transparency in decision-making and reporting.

Collaboration
Each person engages others, both within and external to the department, in a positive manner, respectful of others and their different perspectives.

Privacy
Each person manages and protects information related to persons/families/organizations/communities and the department appropriately.

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Lines of Business:

Policy, Planning, Program Development and Support
The Department of Health and Community Services provides a leadership role for developing policies, legislation and plans. Programs fall under three categories – those associated with legislation, those not associated with legislation and those which have operational standards.
1. Programs under a legislative framework
  - Medical Care Plan (MCP)
  - Hospital Insurance Plan
  - Communicable diseases
  - Personal care homes
  - Newfoundland and Labrador
  - Prescription Drug Program
  - Environmental health (including tobacco control, drinking water quality and sanitation)
2. Programs not under a legislative framework
  - Parent and child health
  - Immunizations
  - Wellness and health promotion
  - Chronic disease control
  - Long-term care and community support services
  - Health sector workforce planning
  - Intervention and support services for persons with disabilities
  - Emergency preparedness
  - Mental health and addictions services
  - Aboriginal health
3. Programs for which the department establishes funding and/or operational delivery standards:
  - Ambulance services
  - Home support
  - Transition houses
  - Special Child Welfare Allowance
  - Residential services for persons with select disabilities
  - Special Assistance Program
  - Medical Transportation Assistance Program
  - Dental Program
  - Clinical Safety Reporting System
4. The department works with the postsecondary education system to ensure that professional education and training programs for the health and community services field reflect the needs of the system. The department also provides funding for select training programs.
5. The department ensures that regional health and community services are planned according to the needs of the population; the strategic directions of the provincial government; and within the fiscal capacity of the health system. This includes determining the need for, and placement of infrastructure, equipment, services and staff.
6. The department represents provincial priorities in the development of intergovernmental (Atlantic and Federal/Provincial/Territorial) strategic directions and initiatives.
7. The department works with the Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Health Information to obtain health information and research, conduct program evaluations and develop electronic health information systems.
Monitoring and Reporting
Regular monitoring and evaluation of legislation, programs, plans and funding outcomes are important to maintain the effectiveness of the health and community services system.
1. The department monitors and evaluates:
  - health and community services legislation;
  - selected policies, programs and services;
  - adherence to guidelines and best practices and/or funding and service delivery standards; and
  - implementation of funding and outcomes for regional health authorities and other entities funded by the department.
2. In addition, the department has made commitments to publicly report on several areas that it monitors. These areas are as follows:
Provincial Public Programs and Services Administration
While the department does not directly deliver most health care services, there are some programs for which the department provides direct supervision, control, and service delivery as follows:
- Records of immunizations
- Payment and remuneration for medical services (MCP), dental services (NLDHP), drug programs (NLPDP) and other similar programs
- Grants for select community agencies
- Bursaries and incentives to students in select training programs according to established criteria
- Distribution and storage of vaccines
- Printing, storage and distribution of health related materials
- Storage and distribution of National Emergency Stockpile
- Medical transportation assistance to eligible individuals
- Selected information technology initiatives

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Department of Health and Community Services

About the Department

Mandate

Vision

Values

Lines of Business:

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