Open Government at HHS

An open government uses transparency, participation, and collaboration to serve the American people. This helps the public hold the government accountable.

• Learn more about the Open Government Directive

HHS Open Government Plan

We have continually developed our program areas to ensure accountability.

• Read Our Open Government Plan Version 4.0 

   

Previous Open Government Plans

• HHS Open Government Plan Version 3.0
• HHS Open Government Plan Version 2.0
• HHS Open Government Plan Version 1.1

Initiatives

The programs below help us achieve our open government goals with expertise both inside and outside HHS.

Office of the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) / IDEA Lab

The Office of the CTO harnesses the power of data, technology, and innovation to create a more modern and effective government that works to improve the health of the nation.

• Learn more about data, technology, and innovation at HHS

HealthData.gov

HHS provides open access to health information and health datasets generated or held by the U.S. government.

• Explore HealthData.gov

Records & Reports

Read about the inner workings of HHS:

HHS Strategic Plan

Every four years, HHS updates its strategic plan. The Government Performance and Results Modernization Act requires federal agencies to consult with Congress and to solicit and consider the views of external parties.

• Read the Strategic Plan for FY 2014-2018.

Public Access

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) has directed all federal research agencies with more than $100 million in the annual conduct of research and development to develop plans for increasing access for increasing public access to peer-reviewed scientific publications and digital data resulting from federally funded research investments.

• Read 22nd HHS Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell's cover letter

• Learn more about our public access plans

Prevention and Public Health Fund

Congress has directed HHS to provide information on activities and programs supported with resources from the Prevention and Public Health Fund.

• Learn more about Prevention and Public Health Fund Activities.

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

FOIA is a critical part of Open Government that encourages accountability through transparency. We improve compliance and reform of FOIA as we develop our Open Government Plans.

• Learn more about FOIA.

Records Management

Proper records management is the backbone of open government. Title 44 U.S.C. 2901 defines records management as “the managerial activities involved with respect to records creation, records maintenance and use, and records disposition in order to achieve adequate and proper documentation of the policies and transactions of the Federal government and effective and economical management of agency operations."

• Learn more about Records Management at HHS.

Regulatory Review

The Department welcomes suggestions of regulations to review. You may think the regulation is obsolete, unnecessary, burdensome, or counterproductive, or you may think the Department should modify a regulation to increase its effectiveness, efficiency, and flexibility.

• Learn how to Suggest a Regulation for Review.

HHS Sustainability

HHS outlines its path towards sustainable operation and efficiency with reduction goals to cut consumption and emissions, while increasing productivity and transparency.

• Learn more about Sustainability at HHS.

Web Measurement and Customization Technologies

HHS discloses the use of web measurement and customization technologies to remember a user’s online interactions with a website or online application. We use these to measure and analyze usage or to customize the user’s experience.

• Read the HHS.gov Privacy Policy.

Proposed Use of a Multi-Session Web Measurement and Customization Technology that Collects Personally Identifiable Information Form

Per Office of Management and Budget (OMB) instructions found in Memorandum 10-22 Guidance for Online Use of Web Measurement and Customization Technologies (June 25, 2010), the following information serves as public notice for the proposed use by the United States Department of Health & Human Services of a Tier 3 multi-session Web measurement and customization technology that collects personally identifiable information.

The HHS Senior Agency Official for Privacy (SAOP) will post this notice for public comment on the Department’s Open Government Webpage (www.hhs.gov/open) for 30 days from the date of the posting.

• HHS Approval Form for Qualtrics Tier 3
  • HHS Third Party Websites and Applications Privacy Impact Assessment for CMS Revising the PIA to reflect changes in CMS’s use of Qualtrics, moving to Tier 3 (December 23, 2020)
• HHS Approval Form for Tealium Customer Data Hub Tier 3
  • HHS Third Party Websites and Applications Privacy Impact Assessment for CMS for Tealium Tier 3 (December 23, 2020)

Comment Period

The 30-day comment period is from Tuesday, January 5, 2021 through Thursday, February 4, 2021. Comments about the proposed use can be submitted electronically to PrivacyProgramMailbox@hhs.gov.

Plain Writing

Clear writing is essential to transparency, public participation, and collaboration.

• Learn about Plain Writing at HHS.

Language Access Plan

HHS provides access to HHS programs and activities for persons with limited English proficiency.

• Read the HHS Language Access Plan.

Research and Scientific Integrity

HHS has policies and principles to ensure the integrity of scientific and scholarly activities that the Department conducts and supports and the science it uses to inform management and public policy decisions.

• Policies And Principles For Assuring Scientific Integrity
• Human Research Protections

Preparation, Submission, and Execution of the Budget

HHS ensures the transparent preparation and execution of our budget by making the following resources available:

• Budget and Performance at HHS
• HHS Open Government Financial Data Quality Plan
• HHS Inspector General Audits
• HHS Performance Improvement Summaries
• Performance.gov

Conference Spending Reports

These reports include information about conferences held by HHS where costs exceed $100,000.

• FY 2014 Conference Spending Summary
  • Conference Spending by Agency
• FY 2013 Conference Spending Summary
  • Conference Spending by Agency
• FY 2012 Conference Spending Summary
  • Conference Spending Details

Presidential Actions, Executive Orders & Memos

HHS has compiled a listing of presidential actions executive orders, and memos related to open government.

• View Presidential Actions, Executive Orders, and Memos