A Department of Human Services (DHS) or Ministry of Human Services (MHS) is a national or subnational umbrella agency

Umbrella organization

An umbrella organization is an association of institutions, who work together formally to coordinate activities or pool resources. In business, political, or other environments, one group, the umbrella organization, provides resources and often an identity to the smaller organizations...

 which is responsible for providing public assistance programs to the population they serve. Various aspects or alternate names include social security

Social security

Social security is primarily a social insurance program providing social protection or protection against socially recognized conditions, including poverty, old age, disability, unemployment and others. Social security may refer to:...

, social affairs, human resources

Human resources

Human resources is a term used to describe the individuals who make up the workforce of an organization, although it is also applied in labor economics to, for example, business sectors or even whole nations...

 and welfare

Welfare

Welfare refers to a broad discourse which may hold certain implications regarding the provision of a minimal level of wellbeing and social support for all citizens without the stigma of charity. This is termed "social solidarity"...

.

A social affairs department is often combined with the portfolio of health or labor.

Examples

Some examples include: - Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities

Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities (Albania)

The Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities is part of the Albanian government responsible for covering the problems of Labor, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities. The current minister is Spiro Ksera of the Democratic Party of Albania....

 Australia - Australia Department of Human Services

Department of Human Services (Australia)

The Department of Human Services is an Australian Government agency which is responsible for delivering a range of welfare, social services, health services and other services for the Australian Government....

 Canada - Human Resources and Skills Development Canada

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada

The Department of Human Resources and Skills Development , operating under the FIP applied title Human Resources and Skills Development Canada , is the department of the Government of Canada responsible for developing, managing and delivering a variety of social programs and services...

• •   Ontario - Ministry of Community and Social Services
    Ministry of Community and Social Services (Ontario)
    The Ministry of Community and Social Services in the Canadian province of Ontario is responsible for social services such as welfare, and disability insurance and community service programs around issues such as homelessness, domestic violence, spousal support, adoption, and assisted housing for...
    
     Colombia - Ministry of Social Protection (Colombia) - Ministry of Health and Social Welfare
    Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (Croatia)
    The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare of the Republic of Croatia is the ministry in the Government of Croatia which is in charge of health care and welfare.-List of ministers:...
    
     and Ministry of the Family, Veterans' Affairs and Intergenerational Solidarity - Ministry of Social Affairs Guyana - Ministry of Labour Human Services and Social Security - Ministry of Tribal Affairs - Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Security
    Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Security (Iceland)
    The Icelandic Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Security is a cabinet-level ministry within the government of Iceland. Since 10 May 2009, the minister has been Árni Páll Árnason of Social Democratic Alliance.-Former ministers:...
    
     - Department of Social Protection - Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
    Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (Japan)
    The ' is a cabinet level ministry of the Japanese government. It is commonly known as Kōrō-shō in Japan. This ministry provides regulations on maximum residue limits for agricultural chemicals in foods, basic food and drug regulations, standards for foods, food additives, etc.It was formed with...
    
     - Lebanon
    Ministry of Social Affairs (Lebanon)
    The Ministry of Social Affairs in Lebanon was created in 1993 by Law Number 212 and modified by Law Number 327 and Decree Number 5734.The current Minister of Social Affairs is Wael Abou Faour from the Progressive Socialist Party....
    
     - Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment
    Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment (Netherlands)
    The Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment is the Dutch ministry of social affairs: it is occupied with employment, relations between employers and employees, the system of social security, and emancipation...
    
     - Ministry of Social Development - Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security
    Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of the People's Republic of China
    Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of the People's Republic of China is a ministry under the State Council which is responsible for national labor polices, standards, regulations and managing the national social security. This includes labor force management, labor relationship...
    
    
  •   - Labour and Welfare Bureau
    Labour and Welfare Bureau
    The Labour and Welfare Bureau is an executive agency of the Government of Hong Kong responsible for employment, labour development, poverty reduction and social welfare.in Hong Kong.The bureau is managed by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare...
    
     - Department of Social Welfare and Development
    Department of Social Welfare and Development (Philippines)
    The Philippines Department of Social Welfare and Development is the executive department of the Philippine Government responsible for the protection of the social welfare rights of Filipinos and to promote social development.-History:...
    
     Portugal - Ministry of Labour and Social Solidarity
    Ministry of Labour and Social Solidarity
    The Ministry of Labour and Social Solidarity , MTSS, is a Portuguese government ministry.-External links:*...
    
     Saint Lucia
    Saint Lucia
    Saint Lucia is an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 620 km2 and has an...
    
     - Ministry of Health, Human Services, Family Affairs & Gender Relations - Ministry of Health and Social Affairs
    Ministry of Health and Social Affairs (Sweden)
    The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs is the ministry in the government of Sweden responsible for policies related to social welfare: financial security, social services, medical and health care, health promotion and the rights of children and disabled people.The Ministry of Health and Social...
    
     - Department for Work and Pensions
    Department for Work and Pensions
    The Department for Work and Pensions is the largest government department in the United Kingdom, created on June 8, 2001 from the merger of the employment part of the Department for Education and Employment and the Department of Social Security and headed by the Secretary of State for Work and...
    
    
  •   - Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
    Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
    The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety is a devolved Northern Ireland government department in the Northern Ireland Executive...
    
     United States - United States Department of Health and Human Services
    United States Department of Health and Human Services
    The United States Department of Health and Human Services is a Cabinet department of the United States government with the goal of protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services. Its motto is "Improving the health, safety, and well-being of America"...
    
    
  •   Illinois - Illinois Department of Human Services
    Illinois Department of Human Services
    The Illinois Department of Human Services is an administrative agency of the U.S. state of Illinois. It is responsible for providing a wide variety of safety net services to Illinois residents in poverty, who are facing other economic challenges, or who have any of a variety of disabilities or...
    
    
  •   Michigan - Michigan Department of Human Services
    Michigan Department of Human Services
    The Michigan Department of Human Services is the agency of state of Michigan, headquartered in Lansing, that provides public assistance, child and family welfare services...
    
    
  •   North Carolina - North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
    North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
    The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is a large government agency in the U.S. state of North Carolina, somewhat analogous to the United States Department of Health and Human Services. DHHS has more than 19,000 employees...
    
    
  •   Oklahoma - Oklahoma Department of Human Services
    Oklahoma Department of Human Services
    The Oklahoma Department of Human Services is an agency of the government of Oklahoma responsible for providing help to individuals and families in need through public assistance programs and managing services for seniors and people with disabilities. The Department is governed by the Commission on...
    
    
  •   Oregon - Oregon Department of Human Services
    Oregon Department of Human Services
    The Oregon Department of Human Services is the primary health and human services agency of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. The ODHS was established in 1971 as the Oregon Department of Human Resources but renamed in 1999...
    
    
  •   Vermont - Vermont Agency of Human Services
    Vermont Agency of Human Services
    The Vermont Agency of Human Services is a Vermont executive agency . Its purpose is to develop and execute policy on Human Services for the U.S. state of Vermont....