| HISTORY/BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH: | Dates of founding and/or dissolution:
The Ministry of Health and Wellness was established by means of Order in Council 241/99 made pursuant to the Government Organization Act, 1994 c. G-8.5 s. 2.
Functional responsibility:
The Ministry of Health and Wellness plans, develops and administers the public health system of Alberta. Its activities include giving direction and allocating resources to health care agencies, creating policies and setting provincial standards for the delivery of services, and measuring and reporting on the performance of the components of the health care system. Between 1999 and 2001, the Minister was responsible for the administration of services to persons with developmental disabilities. In 2001, this responsibility was transferred to the Minister of Community Development.
The Minister of Health and Wellness has been responsible for the administration of the following acts:
ABC Benefits Corporation Act
Alberta Evidence Act, section 9
Alberta Health Care Insurance Act
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Act
Ambulance Services Act
Cancer Programs Act
Charitable Donation of Food Act
Chiropractic Profession Act
Dental Disciplines Act
Dental Mechanics' Act
Dental Profession Act
Emergency Medical Aid Act
Government Organization Act, Schedule 7
Health Care Protection Act
Health Disciplines Act
Health Facilities Review Committee Act
Health Foundations Act
Health Information Act
Health Insurance Premiums Act
Health Professions Act
Hospitals Act, except sections 44(1), 61 and 62(d) to (f)
Human Tissue Gift Act
Medical Profession Act
Mental Health Act, except section 53(1) (c)
M.S.I. Foundation Act
Nursing Homes Act, except sections 13, 18 and 30(i), (l) and (m)
Nursing Profession Act
Occupational Therapy Profession Act
Opticians Act
Optometry Profession Act
Persons with Developmental Disabilities Community Governance Act (to 2001 only)
Persons with Developmental Disabilities Foundation Act (to 2001 only)
Pharmaceutical Profession Act
Pharmacy and Drug Act
Physical Therapy Profession Act
Podiatry Act
Premier's Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities Act (to 2001 only)
Provincial Health Authorities of Alberta Act
Psychology Profession Act
Public Health Act
Regional Health Authorities Act
Registered Dieticians Act
Social Work Profession Act
Predecessor and successor bodies:
The predecessor to the Ministry of Health and Wellness was the Department of Health.
Administrative relationships:
The Ministry reports to the Legislative Assembly through the Minister of Health and Wellness. A number of semi-independent agencies reported either to the Minister or through him to the Legislative Assembly. These agencies include the Alberta Mental Health Board, Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission, Alberta Health Facilities Review Committee, Public Health Appeal Board, Office of the Mental Health Patient Advocate, and Alberta Cancer Board.
Administrative structure:
The divisions and branches of the Ministry responsible for the Ministry's principal functions have been as follows:
- Creating policy guidelines for programs and services delivered by Regional Health Authorities: Health Strategies Division (1999-2001); Population Health Division (2001-present)
- Monitoring and evaluation of health care agencies, program delivery, and health care system performance: Health Information and Accountability Division (1999-2001); Health Accountability Division (2001-present)
- Policy development for the health care system as a whole: Policy and Planning Services Division (1999-2001); Strategic Planning Division (2001-present)
- Administration of health care insurance programs: Finance and Health Plan Administration Division (1999-2001); Program Services Division (2001-present)
- Administration of emergency health services air and ground ambulance services: Finance and Health Plan Administration Division (1999-2001); Program Services Division (2001-present)
- Planning of health care personnel resources and liaison with health care professional organizations: Health Workforce Division (1999-present)
- Administration of health related intergovernmental relations and agreements: Policy and Planning Services Division (1999-2001); Strategic Planning Division (2001-present)
- Legislative planning: Policy and Planning Services Division (1999-2001); Strategic Planning Division (2001-present)
- Financial management: Finance and Health Plan Administration Division (1999-2001); Finance and Corporate Services Division (2001-present)
Names of chief officers:
Ministers of Health and Wellness:
Halvar C. Jonson (1999-2000)
Gary G. Mar (2000-2004)
Iris Evans (2004-2006)
Dave Hancock (2006-present)
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| SCOPE AND CONTENT: | Fonds consists of executive, administrative and operational records of the Ministry and its predecessors created through the performance of the following activities:
- planning and policy development for the health care system in Alberta
- administration and delivery of public health and environmental health programs
- program development
- oversight of the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan
- registration of health care practitioners & Health Care Insurance Plan participants
- administration of operating and capital grants to hospitals
- administration of community health programs
- performing research on a number of issues related to health care and the health care system
- administration of programs and services to mentally and physically handicapped adults and children
- administration and operation of emergency air ambulance services
- administration of health care personnel development programs
- planning and administration of hospital services programs
planning and oversight of hospital capital projects
- planning and administration of long term care facility programs
- administration of the Provincial Laboratory
- communications and public relations
- evaluation and development of information management systems for the department
- financial and human resources administration for the department
- participation in interdepartmental and intergovernmental boards, councils, and committees relating to health care
The fonds contains records from the Deputy Minister, Assistant Deputy Ministers of Finance and Administration, Health Care Insurance, Public Health, Health Policy, Acute and Long Term Care, Health Information and Accountability, Corporate Services, Practitioner Services, and Health Statistics and Research Divisions of the Department ant its predecessors, records of various branches and regional offices of the Ministry, mental health clinics, the Provincial Board of Health, the Provincial Mental Health Advisory Council and the Aberhart Hospital. The fonds also contains records of the Public Health Appeal Board, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission, Alberta Health Facilities Review Committee, Office of the Mental Health Patient Advocate, Alberta Mental Health Advisory Board, Alberta Cancer Board, and Health Disciplines Board. More information on these records may be found in the sous-fonds descriptions.
The fonds is made up of correspondence, case, and subject files, minutes, agendas and reports of program, branch, departmental, interdepartmental, and intergovernmental committees, policy and position papers, forms, financial and budget records, audit files and reports, planning papers, statistical reports, annual reports, returns and audited financial statements of hospitals and health units, hospital budgeting records, hospital statistics, vital statistics registers of births, marriages, deaths and burials, research project case files and proposals, test data, database documentation, survey forms, blueprints and plans, maps, video recordings, and audio-visual material related to health education and promotion.
The records have been arranged into the following series:
- Coordinated Home Care program records 1983-1988
- Provincial Board of Health minutes 1947-1986
- Provincial Board of Health operational records 1947-1986
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