Tx Department Of Health

What Tx Department Of Health does

Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is a Texas state government agency operating under the Texas Health and Human Services (HHS) system, headquartered at 1100 West 49th Street in Austin, Texas. The agency delivers a comprehensive portfolio of public health services statewide, including vital statistics management (birth, death, marriage, and divorce records), laboratory services, regional and local health operations, immunizations, infectious and chronic disease programs, newborn screening, consumer protection, and licensing/permitting for healthcare providers and EMS personnel. Its core technology infrastructure comprises government information systems for public health data management, including the National Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NEDSS), the Texas Syndromic Surveillance system (TxS2), and the Texas Health Data public portal.

DSHS coordinates a distributed public health delivery network spanning 22 Regional Advisory Councils covering all Texas Trauma Service Areas, 8 Texas Emergency Medical Task Force (TX EMTF) regions, multiple Public Health Regions, local health departments, DSHS laboratories, and a dedicated Office of Border Public Health addressing Texas-Mexico border health issues. The agency also operates workforce development functions through the Office of Practice and Learning, including the DSHS Grand Rounds lecture series, Institutional Review Board, Texas Public Health Fellowship, and continuing education programs for health professionals.

DSHS does not operate a commercial revenue model; it is publicly funded through Texas state appropriations supplemented by fees for specific services (vital records, laboratory tests, licensing/permitting). It holds exclusive regulatory authority over healthcare facility licensing, EMS provider certification, disease reporting mandates, and vital statistics within the state. The agency is HIPAA-compliant and is currently undergoing Texas Sunset review as part of the state's periodic evaluation of state agencies.

Name

Tx Department Of Health

Legal name

Texas Department of State Health Services

Website

https://dshs.state.tx.us

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is a state government agency providing public health services statewide, including vital statistics, disease surveillance, laboratory services, immunizations, newborn screening, and EMS/trauma system oversight for Texas residents and healthcare providers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Health Services

NAICS

Administration of Public Health Programs (923120), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

State/Provincial/Regional Health Departments (HLAJAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

State/Provincial Health Department & Public Health Administration (BPAIABAH), Data Governance, Standards & Interoperability (ICD, HL7/FHIR, LOINC, SNOMED) (HLAJAJAM), Healthcare Compliance & Enforcement Authorities (HLAJACAB)

Keywords

• Public health services
• Vital statistics management
• Disease surveillance systems
• Emergency medical services
• Health regulatory oversight

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin, Texas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

DSHS provides statewide public health services for Texas, including registration and issuance of vital records (birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates), public health laboratory testing, disease surveillance and reporting, immunization programs, newborn screening, and consumer protection through food, drug, and medical device regulation. The agency also licenses and regulates healthcare facilities and professionals, coordinates EMS and trauma systems through 22 Regional Advisory Councils, and serves as the lead state agency for public health emergency preparedness and response.

Product overview

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is a state government health agency providing a comprehensive portfolio of public health services organized as multiple interconnected programs. Core services include Vital Statistics (birth/death certificates, marriage records), Laboratory Services, Immunizations, and Regional & Local Health Services spanning all of Texas. Disease prevention programs cover infectious diseases (COVID-19, HIV/STD, TB), chronic diseases (diabetes, heart disease, asthma), cancer control, and newborn screening for genetic conditions. DSHS also operates consumer protection through food and drug safety regulation, issues professional licenses for EMS personnel and other health professions, and maintains health data platforms including Texas Health Data, Texas Syndromic Surveillance (TxS2), and NEDSS. The Office of Practice and Learning supports the public health workforce through continuing education, DSHS Grand Rounds lectures, an Institutional Review Board, and the Texas Public Health Fellowship program. EMS and Trauma Systems coordination is delivered through 22 Regional Advisory Councils (RACs) and the Governor's EMS and Trauma Advisory Council (GETAC).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vital Statistics Services Statewide registration, certification, and issuance of vital records including birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates for Texas residents, legal professionals, and government agencies.
• Public Health Laboratory Services Clinical and environmental laboratory testing for diseases, contaminants, and other public health threats, serving healthcare providers, local health departments, and the public.
• Immunization Programs Statewide immunization services and vaccine-preventable disease programs for Texas residents, with information and access for families and providers.
• Newborn Screening Program Statewide screening of newborns for specified conditions, with follow-up and reporting for hospitals, providers, and families.
• Infectious Disease Programs Prevention and control programs for infectious diseases including HIV and sexually transmitted infections, serving the Texas public and healthcare providers through surveillance and partner services.
• Chronic Disease Programs Prevention and management programs for chronic diseases serving Texas residents and partner organizations.
• Texas Comprehensive Cancer Control Program Statewide initiative to reduce the cancer burden in Texas through prevention, early detection, and survivor support resources, serving the public and partner organizations.
• Consumer Protection (Food and Drug) Regulation of food, drugs, and medical devices, including product registration, recall information, and consumer safety resources for the Texas public and regulated entities.
• Licenses, Registrations, and Permits Issuance and renewal of licenses, registrations, certifications, and permits for EMS providers, food managers, and other regulated professionals and entities in Texas.
• EMS and Trauma Systems Coordination Statewide coordination of emergency medical services (EMS) and trauma systems, including 22 Regional Advisory Councils (RACs) and the Governor's EMS and Trauma Advisory Council (GETAC), serving providers, facilities, and the public.
• Texas Syndromic Surveillance (TxS2) Statewide syndromic surveillance system that collects and analyzes health data from participating facilities to support public health situational awareness for DSHS and partners.
• Health Care Information Collection (THCIC) Mandated collection of hospital discharge data from Texas hospitals, used to publish reports and inform public health and policy stakeholders.
• Regional and Local Health Services Locally delivered public health services coordinated through DSHS regional offices and local health departments serving communities across Texas.
• Texas Health Data Public portal providing access to Texas public health data and statistics for residents, researchers, and partner organizations.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Texas Health and Human Services (HHS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDSHS operates under the Texas Health and Human Services enterprise, coordinating with HHS on health programs, services, and system-wide initiatives.
• Regional Advisory Councils (RACs)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner22 RACs across Texas trauma service areas work with DSHS to develop, implement, and monitor regional emergency medical services trauma system plans.
• Texas Emergency Medical Task Force (TX EMTF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTX EMTF is a disaster response system developed by RACs, DSHS, and local EMS/hospital stakeholders for short-notice emergency healthcare during disasters.
• Local Health DepartmentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDSHS coordinates with local health departments across Texas for regional and local health service delivery, including public health nursing and community health programs.
• Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDSHS advises DPS on medical limitations affecting driver licensing through the Medical Advisory Board, and coordinates on public safety health matters.
• Office of Border Public HealthmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDSHS maintains an Office of Border Public Health to address health issues at the Texas-Mexico border region.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Ohio Department of Health: Ohio's state health agency providing comparable public health services including vital statistics, disease reporting, newborn screening, and local health department coordination. Operates similar licensing and regulatory functions.
• Georgia Department of Public Health: Georgia's state public health agency operating vital records, disease surveillance, immunization programs, and 18 public health districts. Similar district-based regional structure mirrors DSHS's Public Health Region model.
• Pennsylvania Department of Health: Pennsylvania's state health agency delivering comparable vital records, disease surveillance, immunizations, EMS, and newborn screening programs. Operates a similar regional/county health office structure to DSHS.
• Florida Department of Health: Florida's integrated state health agency with comparable functions in vital statistics, disease control, licensing, and emergency preparedness. Similar population scale and large geographic footprint make it a directly comparable peer.
• Illinois Department of Public Health: Illinois's state public health agency with parallel functions across vital records, infectious disease control, environmental health, and emergency preparedness. Comparable regulatory and surveillance mandate.
• North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services: North Carolina's consolidated health and human services agency, comparable in combining public health with broader human services functions. Operates comparable vital records, disease surveillance, and emergency preparedness programs.
• California Department of Public Health: California's state public health agency, directly comparable to DSHS as a large-population state health department delivering vital records, disease surveillance, licensing, and emergency preparedness functions. Most direct peer given California's scale and program breadth.
• New York State Department of Health: New York's state health agency with comparable statewide scope including vital statistics, disease surveillance (NYSIIS, Health Information Network), EMS oversight, and healthcare facility regulation. Operates a similarly broad public health mandate.

Others

• Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO): National membership organization representing state and territorial public health agencies including DSHS. Functions as an ecosystem/peer network rather than a direct operational peer, but provides peer benchmarking, policy support, and shared infrastructure relevant to DSHS operations.

Broad incumbents

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Federal-level public health agency that funds and coordinates with state health departments including DSHS. Operates overlapping surveillance (NEDSS), laboratory, and disease response functions but at the federal level rather than state.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tx-department-of-health

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Tx Department Of Health