What is Health and Human Services?

<h3 id="section---HealthAndHumanServicesPrograms">Health and Human Services Programs</h3> <p>Health and human services professionals oversee the health of community members and they provide crucial services to those people who need them the most, according to the United States Department of Health and Human Services. These include mental health services, nutrition services, early childhood education, adoption and foster care. Professionals in this field oversee government programs like Medicare, Medicaid, low-income financial assistance programs and food safety initiatives </p> <h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutHealthAndHumanServicesOccupations">Important Facts About Health and Human Services Occupations</h3> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><th> </th><th> Social and Human Service Assistants </th><th> Social and Community Service Managers</th></tr> <tr><td>Entry Level Education </td><td> High school diploma or equivalent </td><td> Bachelor's degree</td></tr> <tr><td> Work Experience </td><td> Some work experience may be preferred </td><td> At least a few years of work experience are required</td></tr> <tr><td> Work Environment </td><td>Nonprofit organizations, government agencies and private social service companies </td><td>Same as for assistants</td></tr> <tr><td> On-the-Job Training </td><td>Short-term on-the-job training</td><td> None</td></tr> </table><h3 id="section---Careers">Careers</h3> <p>Health and human services professionals can work in many different fields. Outside of government-run programs, individuals in this profession can focus their careers on the following areas: </p> <ul><li>Developmental disabilities </li><li>Substance abuse counseling </li><li>Health care administration </li><li>At-risk youth counseling </li><li>Community health education </li></ul><p>Health and human services professionals provide a wide array of services. Accordingly, these professionals must understand how personnel, finances and information technology interrelate in an organization. They must also know the laws and regulations which keep these departments operating efficiently and within the bounds of the law. </p> <h4 id="section---EmploymentOutlookAndSalaryInformation">Employment Outlook and Salary Information</h4> <p>According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the number of working social and human service assistants was expected to increase 12% between 2021 and 2031, which is notably above average. The median salary in this field was $37,610 as of 2021. </p> <p>Similarly, employment opportunities for social and community service managers were expected to rise 12% during the 2021-2031 decade, reports the BLS. These professionals earned median salaries of $74,000 per year. </p> <h3 id="section---DegreePrograms">Degree Programs</h3> <p>If you want to start a career in health and human services, you can choose from several degree programs. Numerous degrees may be offered through a school's College of Health and Human Services. The following are among the degree program options in this field: </p> <ul><li>Family studies </li><li>Health management </li><li>Nursing </li><li>Occupational therapy </li><li>Kinesiology </li><li>Recreation management</li></ul>