A Guide to the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, Correspondence and Subject Files, 1998-2001 #38940

Historical Information

The secretariat responsible for human services, health and welfare has gone through several reorganizations. In 1972, the General Assembly passed an act establishing the Secretary of Human Affairs. This office was responsible for management and direction of health and human services provided by the state for the citizens of the commonwealth. In 1976, the secretariat's name changed to the Secretary of Human Resources. With reorganization of state government, the secretariat's name changed again to the Secretary of Health and Human Resources in 1988. The secretary has authority over the following agencies or councils: Dept. for the Rights of Virginians with Disabilities; Dept. for the Aging; State Dept. of Health; Dept. of Health Professionals; Dept. of Medical Assistance Services; Virginia Health Services Cost Review Council; Dept. of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services; Dept. of Rehabilitation Services; Dept. of Social Services; Governors Employment and Training Dept.; Dept. for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing; Virginia Council on Child Care & Early Childhood Programs. The Secretary also serves on several advisory councils, committees, boards, and interstate compacts.

As Secretary of Health and Human Resources for the Commonwealth of Virginia from 1998-2002, Claude A. Allen led 13 agencies and 15,000 employees. He led Governor Gilmore's initiative for Virginia's new Patients Bill of Rights passed in 1999, allowing patient appeals for adverse coverage decisions made by health plans, and direct access to physician specialists. Allen also spearheaded Virginia's welfare reform initiative and provided leadership to overhaul the state's mental health institutions and community services. Additionally, he was responsible for implementing the Governor's private health insurance program for children and families, offering lower-cost coverage options to thousands of uninsured Virginians. Louis F. Rossiter, Deputy Secretary for Operations, became Secretary after Allen was confirmed by the Senate as the Deputy Secretary for the Department of Health and Human Services on May 26, 2001. Rossiter had been on the faculty in the Department of Health Administration, Virginia Commonwealth University for 18 years.

Under Governor Gilmore, Jeffrey L. Geller, M.D., M.P.H., was an expert witness for the Commonwealth of Virginia. He is an national expert on state psychiatric facilities, community hospitals, and the community service needs of the severly and persistently mentally ill. He is currently a member of the faculty at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School. He has an extensive background in publicly funded mental health services and is considered to be an expert in understanding the treatment requirements implied by the Constitutional Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act. Dr. Geller's consultation to the Department involved extensive patient and staff interviews and examination of the state's mental health facilities from 1997 to 1998.

Scope and Content Information

This collection is comprised of the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, Claude A. Allen's, correspondence and subject files, 1998-2001, under Governor James S. Gilmore. Also included are the files of Louis F. Rossiter, Deputy Secretary, who became Secretary after Allen was confirmed by the Senate as the Deputy Secretary for the Department of Health and Human Services on May 26, 2001. The correspondence contains letters and e-mail from constituents along with people summaries and responses. Subjects covered include child support, state mental hospitals, nursing homes, domestic violence, Virginia Earned Income Tax Credit and many others. The agency correspondence includes the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services, the Geller Report, agency reports, strategic plans, and Office of the Secretary correspondence. The appointment calendars were notebooks filled with calendar pages and invitations and the legislative files contain enrolled bill reviews.

Contents List

Series I: Constituent correspondence, 1998-2001

Arranged numerically by Constituent ID number.

Box 1
General correspondence, ID no. 121 through 22,883, 1998 Feb 3 through 1998 May 19
Box 2
General correspondence, ID no. 23,861 through 32,094, 1998 May 20 through 1998 September 1
Box 3
General correspondence, ID no. 32,118 through 38,694, 1998 September 2 through 1998 Dec 2
Box 4
General correspondence, ID no. 48,732 through 53,997, 1998 December 3 through 1998 Feb 1
Box 5
General correspondence, ID no. 54,001 through 67,987, 1998 February 1 through 1999 April 26
Box 6
General correspondence, ID no. 68,001 through 81,989, 1999 April 26 through 1999 August 23
Box 7
General correspondence, ID no. 82,036 through 89,970, 1999 August 24 through 1999 October 18
Box 8
General correspondence, ID no. 90,094 through 96,988, 1999 October 19 through 1999 December 6
Box 9
General correspondence, ID no. 97,013 through 105,968, 1999 December 6 through 2000 February 22
Box 10
General correspondence, ID no. 106,019 through 203,990, 2000 February 22 through June 15
Box 11
General correspondence, ID no. 204001 through 2018705, 2000 June 1 through September 12
Box 12
General correspondence, ID no. 2019043 through 2041986, 2000 September 27 through 2001 Jan 31
Box 13
General correspondence, ID no. 2042020 through 2067990, 2001 January 16 through 2001 May 22
Box 14
General correspondence, ID no. 2068007 through 2080992, 2001 May 22 through 2001 September 26
Box 15
General correspondence, ID no. 2081153 through 2085977, 2001 September 13 through November 26

Series III: Agency correspondence, 1998-2001

Arranged by department or commission.

Box 25 Folder 1
Geller Report: Central State Hospital; Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute, 1997 April 30; 1997 July 17
Box 25 Folder 2
Geller Report: Eastern State Hospital, 1996 June 17-1998 May 18
Box 25 Folder 3
Geller Report: Western State Hospital; Southwestern Virginia Mental Health Institute; Piedmont Geriatric Hospital; Catawba Hospital, 1997 June 17-1998 March 21
Box 25 Folder 4
Geller Report: Southern Virginia Mental Health Institute; Dejarnette Center; 1996 Settlement Agreement of Eastern State; Attorney General's Highlights of Geller Reports, 1998 April 21-1998 June 22
Box 25 Folder 5
Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services Master Plan, 1998
Box 25 Folder 6
Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services Supplemental Reports, 1998
Box 26 Folder 1
Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services Comprehensive Plans, 2000
Box 26 Folder 2
Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services Performance Outcome Measurement System, August 2000
Box 27 Folder 1
Phone logs, Claude A. Allen, 1998-1999
Box 27 Folder 2
Agency Head Retreat, June 5-6, 2000
Box 27 Folder 3
Office of the Secretary corresppondence, 1998-2001