Timeline of government departments

Government departments that have managed health, welfare, and youth justice in Victoria.

On this page

• Hospital administration
• Public health
• Mental health
• Disability
• Intellectual disability
• Juvenile Justice
• Vulnerable children

Hospital administration

• Chief Secretary’s Department

(1855–1979)

• Charities Board of Victoria (included hospitals)

(1923–1948)

• Statutory Authority Administered by Treasurer (1923–1944)
• by Minister of Health (1944–48)

• Hospitals and Charities Commission

(1948–1978)

• Health Commission of Victoria

(1978–1985)

• Department of Health II

(1985–1992)

• Department of Health and Community Services

(1992–96)

• Department of Human Services I

(1996–2010)

• Department of Health III

(2010–14)

• Department of Health and Human Services

(2015–2021)

• Department of Health IV

(2021– )

Public health

• Chief Secretary’s Department

(1855–1979)

• Central Board of Health [Statutory Authority]

(1855 –1990)

• Board of Public Health [Statutory Authority]

(1890–1920)

• Commission of Public Health [Statutory Authority]

(1920–1978)

• Health Commission of Victoria

(1978–1985)

• Department of Health II

(1985–1992)

• Department of Health and Community Services

(1992–96)

• Department of Human Services I

(1996–2010)

• Department of Health III

(2010–14)

• Department of Health and Human Services

(2015–2021)

• Department of Health IV

(2021– )

Mental health

• Chief Secretary’s Department

(1855–1979)

• Hospitals for the Insane Branch

(1867–1905)

• Lunacy Department

(1905–1934)

• Department of Mental Hygiene

(1934–1944)

(sub department) Mental Hygiene branch from (1937–1944)

• Department of Health I

(1944–1978)

Mental Hygiene Branch (1944–1978)

• Branch in the Department of Health (1944–1952)
• Part of Mental Hygiene Authority (1952–1962) [Statutory Authority]
• Part of the Mental health Authority (1962–1978) [Statutory Authority]

• Health Commission of Victoria

(1978–1985)

• Department of Health II

(1985–1992)

• Department of Health and Community Services

(1992–96)

• Department of Human Services

(1996–2010)

• Department of Health III

(2010–2014)

• Department of Health and Human Services

(2015–2021)

• Department of Health IV

(2021– )

Disability

• Chief Secretary’s Department

(1855–1979)

• Hospitals for the Insane Branch

(1867–1905)

• Lunacy Department

(1905–1934)

• Department of Mental Hygiene

(1934–1944)

• Department of Health I

(1944–1978)

Mental Hygiene Branch (1944–1978)

• Branch in the Department of Health (1944–1952)
• Part of Mental Hygiene Authority (1952–1962) [Statutory Authority]
• Part of the Mental health Authority (1962–1978) [Statutory Authority]

• Health Commission of Victoria

(1978–1985)

• Community Services Victoria

(1985–1992)

• Department of Health and Community Services

(1992–96)

• Department of Human Services

(1996–2010)

• Department of Human Services II

(2010–14)

• National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) trial

(2013)

• Department of Health and Human Services

(2015– 2021)

• NDIS roll out in Victoria

(2016–2020)

• NDIS available to all Australians

(2020– )

• Department of Families, Fairness and Housing

(2021– )

Intellectual disability

• Chief Secretary’s Department

(1855–1979)

• Hospitals for the Insane Branch

(1867–1905)

• Lunacy Department

(1905–1934)

• Mental Defectives Branch

(1937–1944)

Transferred to Department of Health I

• Department of Health I

(1944–1978)

Mental Hygiene Branch (1944–1978)

• Branch in the Department of Health (1944–1952)
• Part of Mental Hygiene Authority (1952–1962) [Statutory Authority]
• Part of the Mental health Authority (1962–1978) [Statutory Authority]

• Health Commission of Victoria

(1978–1985)

• Community Services Victoria

(1985–1992)

• Department of Health and Community Services

(1992–96)

• Department of Human Services

(1996–2010)

• Department of Human Services II

(2010–14)

• National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) trial

(2013)

• Department of Health and Human Services

(2015–2021)

• NDIS roll out in Victoria

(2016–2020)

• NDIS available to all Australians

(2020–)

• Department of Families, Fairness and Housing

(2021– )

Juvenile Justice

• Chief Secretary’s Department

(1855–1979)

• (i) Department of Reformatory Schools (1866–1887)

Administered industrial schools for neglected children and reformatory schools for convicted juveniles.

• (ii) Department of Reformatory Schools (1887–1954)

Responsibility for convicted juveniles only.

• (iii) Children’s Welfare Department (1954–1961)

Responsibility for juvenile offenders and juvenile schools (formerly reformatory schools.

• (iv) Social Welfare Branch (1961–1971)

• Social Welfare Department

(1971–78)

1. Family Welfare Division (1965–1978)
2. Youth Welfare Division (1965–1978)

• Health Commission of Victoria

(1978–1985)

• Department of Health II

(1985–1992)

• Department of Health and Community Services

(1992–96)

• Department of Human Services II

(2010–14)

• Department of Health and Human Services

(2015– 2021)

• Department of Justice and Community Safety

(2021– )

Vulnerable children

• Chief Secretary’s Department

(1855–1979)

• (i) Department of Reformatory Schools (1866–1887) Administered industrial schools for neglected children and reformatory schools for convicted juveniles.
• (ii) Department for Neglected Children (1887–1924) Responsibility for neglected children
• (iii) Children’s Welfare Department (1924–1961)
• (iv) Social Welfare Branch (1961–1971)
• (v) Department of Community Welfare Services (1979–1985)

• Community Services Victoria

(1986–1992)

• Department of Health and Community Services

(1992–96)

• Department of Human Services

(1996–2010)

• Department of Human Services II

(2010–14)

• Department of Health and Human Services

(2015– 2021)

• Department of Families, Fairness and Housing

(2021– )

Updated 10 June 2025

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