Children's Bureau Name and Hierarchy: Roots and History
This document traces the evolution of the U.S. Maternal and Child Health Bureau from its birth as the U.S. Children's Bureau, which was established in 1912.
The current U.S. Children's Bureau is located in the Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and focuses on child welfare, including child protective services (child abuse and neglect) family preservation and support, foster care, adoption, and independent living.
- 1912 Department of Commerce and Labor >
- Children’s Bureau
- 1913 Department of Commerce and Labor renamed Department of Labor
- 1946 Federal Security
Agency >
- Social Security Administration >
- Children’s Bureau
- 1953 Federal Security Agency renamed Department of Health, Education and Welfare (DHEW)
- Social Security Administration >
- 1963
DHEW >
- Welfare Administration >
- Children’s Bureau
- Welfare Administration >
- 1965 DHEW>
- Social and Rehabilitation Service >
- Children’s Bureau
- Social and Rehabilitation Service >
- 1969 Children’s Bureau divided into
- DHEW>
- Children’s Bureau
- DHEW>
- Social and Rehabilitation Service >
- Child Welfare Services
- Social and Rehabilitation Service >
- DHEW>
- Social and Rehabilitation Service >
- Juvenile Delinquency Service
- Social and Rehabilitation Service >
- DHEW>
- Public Health Service (PHS) >
- Health Services and Mental Health Administration (HSMHA) >
- Maternal and Child Health Service (MCHS)
- Health Services and Mental Health Administration (HSMHA) >
- Public Health Service (PHS) >
- DHEW>
- 1973
DHEW>
- Public Health Service >
- Health Services Administration (HSA) >
- Bureau of Community Health Services (BCHS) >
- Office of Maternal and Child Health (OMCH)
- Bureau of Community Health Services (BCHS) >
- Health Services Administration (HSA) >
- ca. 1981 DHEW renamed Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
- Public Health Service >
- 1982 OMCH renamed Division of Maternal and Child Health
- BCHS renamed Bureau of Health Care Delivery and Assistance
- HSA renamed Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
- 1987 DHHS >
- Public Health Service
- HRSA >
- Bureau of Maternal and Child Health and Resources Development (BMCHRD)
- HRSA >
- Public Health Service
- 1990 BMCHRD renamed Maternal and Child Health Bureau
Prepared by Dr. Taylor Ruhl, March 1998, using information in Hutchins VL. 1994. Maternal and Child Health Bureau: Roots. Pediatrics 94(5):695-699.