WHEREAS, civil administrative departments have been created for the Governor to exercise a portion of this authority so vested and ensure that the laws of the State are faithfully executed; and

           WHEREAS, the Department of Health and Welfare was created and established, for the purposes of section 20, article IV of the Idaho Constitution, as an executive department of state government; and

           WHEREAS, the purpose of the Department of Health and Welfare is to promote and protect the life, health and mental health of the people of this State; and

          WHEREAS, state law requires the Department of Health and Welfare to be organized into such administrative and general service divisions as may be necessary in order to efficiently administer the Department; and

          WHEREAS, an opportunity exists to improve the organization of the Department, and in turn, access to state health and social services through the Department for the people of Idaho;

           NOW, THEREFORE, I, JAMES E. RISCH, Governor of the State of Idaho by the authority vested in me under the Constitution and laws of the State of Idaho, do hereby order the following reorganization of the Department of Health and Welfare:

CHAPTER 1

A. Consistent with Idaho law the Department of Health and Welfare shall have an officer as its executive and administrative head. This officer shall be known as the Director of Health and Welfare. The Director shall have all the powers and duties enumerated under Idaho law. The Director shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Idaho Senate pursuant to title 67, section 2404 of the Idaho Code.

B. The Director shall appoint a Public Information Officer, who is responsible for, among other things, managing internal and external public information operations and directing news media relations through press releases, press conferences, briefings, and interviews as directed by the Director for the entire Department. The Public Information Officer shall answer to the Director.

CHAPTER 2

A. The following deputy director positions shall exist within the Department:

1. Deputy Director of Regional and Legislative Operations
2. Deputy Director of Support Services
3. Deputy Director of Family and Welfare Services
4. Deputy Director of Health Services

B. The Director shall appoint deputy directors and set forth their responsibilities, which will include, among other things, overseeing the administration of divisions within the Department.

C. Deputy directors shall be non-classified employees under Idaho Code and answer directly to the Director of Health and Welfare.

CHAPTER 3

A. The Department shall be organized into the following divisions:

1. Division of Regional and Legislative Operations
2. Division of Human Resources
3. Division of Information Technology
4. Division of Management Services
5. Division of Family and Community Services
6. Division of Welfare
7. Division of Medicaid
8. Division of Public Health
9. Division of Behavioral Health

B. The Director shall appoint administrators for each of the aforementioned divisions. The administrator of each division shall be a non-classified employee under Idaho Code and answer to the deputy director responsible for the division as enumerated above and the Director.

CHAPTER 4

The Director shall designate and establish subdivisions within the Department, consistent with state law, as necessary, to maximize the overall efficiency of the Department.

CHAPTER 5

Nothing in this Executive Order shall impact any of the independent councils currently housed within the Department.

CHAPTER 6

Nothing in this Executive Order shall impact the current representation of the Department by the Office of the Attorney General or counsel retained on behalf of the Department.

CHAPTER 7

The Director shall allocate funds throughout the Department consistent with and pursuant to the intent expressed in appropriation legislation promulgated by the 2006 Idaho Legislature.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Idaho at the Capitol in Boise on this 6th day of June in the year of our Lord two thousand and six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred thirtieth and of the Statehood of Idaho the one hundred sixteenth.

BEN YSURSA
SECRETARY OF STATE