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
		________________________________
		President of the Senate
		I hereby certify that the
		above Resolution was adopted by
		the Senate on April 9, 2015.
		________________________________
		Secretary of the Senate
		________________________________
		Member, Texas Senate