2023 Delaware Code › Title 29 - State Government › Chapter 79. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES › Subchapter I. Establishment and Organization of Department › § 7903. Powers, duties and functions of the Secretary [Effective July 17, 2028].

§ 7903. Powers, duties and functions of the Secretary [Effective July 17, 2028].
The Secretary may:
(1) Supervise, direct and account for the administration and operation of the Department, its divisions, subdivisions, offices, functions and employees;
(2) Appoint and fix the salary, with the written approval of the Governor, of the Deputy Secretary and the following division directors and office heads, who may be removed from office by the Secretary with the written approval of the Governor, and who shall have such powers, duties and functions in the administration and operation of the Department as may be assigned by the Secretary:
a. A Director of the Division of Public Health, who shall be known as the Director of Public Health, and who shall be a licensed physician who shall have had at least 1 year of postgraduate training in public health, or in lieu thereof at least 5 years of experience as a full-time health official;
b. A Director of the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, who shall be known as the Director of Mental Health, and who shall be qualified by appropriate formal education in a field such as psychiatric medicine, psychiatric nursing, clinical psychology or psychiatric social work directly related to the care and treatment of persons with mental or emotional conditions, by direct experience in the care and treatment of persons with mental or emotional conditions and by demonstrated administrative competence;
c. A Director of the Division of Social Services, who shall be known as the Director of Social Services, and who shall be qualified by education, ability and experience in the administration of social work or services;
d. An administrator and head of the Division of Business Administration and General Services who shall be known as the Chief of Business Administration and General Services and who shall be a person qualified by training and experience to perform the duties of the division;
e. An administrator and head of the Division of Planning, Research and Evaluation who shall be known as the Chief of Planning, Research and Evaluation and who shall be a person qualified by training and experience to perform the duties of the division;
f. A Director of the Division of Child Support Services, who shall be someone qualified by training, education, experience or ability to perform the duties of Director;
g. A Director of the Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities, who shall be someone qualified by training, education, experience or ability to perform the duties of Director;
h. A Director of the Division of State Service Centers, who shall be someone qualified by training, education, experience or ability to perform the duties of Director;
i. A Director of the Division of Health Care Quality, who shall be someone qualified by training, education, experience or ability to perform the duties of Director;
(3) Appoint such additional personnel as may be necessary for the administration and operation of the Department within such limitations as may be imposed by law;
(4) Establish a Division of Business Administration and General Services in order to administer and coordinate the record keeping, transportation, fiscal affairs, data processing, statistics, accounting, personnel and such other general services for the Department as the Secretary may deem necessary for the proper, efficient and economical operation of the Department and to coordinate such general services and business administration with other departments, agencies and offices of the government of this State;
(5) Establish a Division of Planning, Research and Evaluation in order to provide for and carry out the future comprehensive planning of the programs, policies and operations of the Department and the evaluation, necessary research, data collection and analysis of the programs, policies and operations of the Department;
(6) Establish, consolidate, abolish, transfer or combine the powers, duties and functions of the divisions, subdivisions and offices within the Department as the Secretary, with the written approval of the Governor, may deem necessary, providing that all powers, duties and functions required by law shall be provided for and maintained;
(7) Make and enter into any and all contracts, agreements or stipulations, and retain, employ and contract for the services of private and public consultants, research and technical personnel and to procure by contract consulting, research, technical and other services and facilities, whenever the same shall be deemed by the Secretary necessary or desirable, in the performance of the functions of the Department and whenever funds shall be available for such purpose. All necessary legal services shall be provided pursuant to Chapter 25 of this title;
(8) Delegate any of the Secretary's powers, duties or functions to a director of a division, except the Secretary's power to remove employees of the Department or to fix their compensation;
(9) Establish and promulgate such rules and regulations governing the administration and operation of the Department as may be deemed necessary by the Secretary and which are not inconsistent with the laws of this State;
a. The Secretary shall, in cooperation with the appropriate division directors and office heads, adopt regulations which require dementia specific training each year for persons who are certified, licensed, or registered by the State, and/or who are partially or fully funded by the State, to provide direct healthcare services to persons diagnosed as having Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia. The mandatory training must include the following topics:
1. Communicating with persons diagnosed as having Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia;
2. The psychological, social, and physical needs of those persons; and
3. Safety measures which need to be taken with those persons.
The mandatory training required under this paragraph applies only to those health-care providers who must participate in continuing education programs;
b. The provisions of paragraph (9)a. of this section do not apply to persons certified to practice medicine under the Medical Practice Act, Chapter 17 of Title 24 or first responders including police officers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians.
(10) Maintain such facilities throughout the State as may be required for the effective and efficient operation of the Department;
(11) Adopt an official seal or seals for the Department;
(12) The Secretary in cooperation with the division directors shall prepare a proposed budget for the operation of the Department to be submitted for the consideration of the Governor and the General Assembly. The Department shall be operated within the limitations of the annual appropriation and any other funds appropriated by the General Assembly. Special funds may be used in accordance with approved programs, grants and appropriations;
(13) The Secretary shall be the successor to the State Board of Health exercising the powers and duties granted the Board by Title 16 or § 7904 of this title, which are not inconsistent with the laws of this State;
(14) The Secretary is empowered to administer a state revolving loan program in accordance with requirements set forth in the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act [42 U.S.C. § 300f et seq.].
a. Delaware Safe Drinking Water Revolving Fund. — There is hereby established a “Delaware Safe Drinking Water Revolving Fund” as contemplated by and to be administered pursuant to the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act. All federal capitalization grants received pursuant to the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act, all required matching state funds, and all loan repayments received by the State pursuant to any loan agreement made under the Delaware Safe Drinking Water Revolving Fund shall be credited to the Delaware Safe Drinking Water Revolving Fund. In addition, all proceeds of obligations issued by the State and supported by a pledge or other interest in the funds in the Delaware Safe Drinking Water Revolving Fund shall be held in or for such fund. The Delaware Safe Drinking Water Revolving Fund shall be deemed to be a special fund and shall be approved by the Governor for the following purposes:
1. To accept and retain the funds and revenues specified herein;
2. To make loans to eligible persons for qualifying purposes under the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act;
3. To buy or refinance debt obligations of eligible persons for qualifying purposes under the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act;
4. To guarantee or purchase insurance for obligations of eligible persons for qualifying purposes under the Safe Drinking Water Act;
5. To be a source of revenue or security for the payment of principal and interest on revenue bonds of the State if the proceeds of the sale of such bonds will be deposited in the Delaware Safe Drinking Water Revolving Fund;
6. To earn interest on amounts on deposit in such fund;
7. To establish all necessary interest bearing accounts for deposit of loan repayments;
8. To finance the reasonable costs incurred by the State in the administration of the Delaware Safe Drinking Water Revolving Fund as permitted under the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act; and
9. To accomplish any other allowable purpose under the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act.
The Department is designated as the administering agency of the Delaware Safe Drinking Water Revolving Fund and shall have such power necessary to administer such fund including, but not limited to, the power to enter into capitalization grant agreements with the Environmental Protection Agency, the power to accept capitalization grant awards made under the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act and the power to make loans in accordance with the requirements of the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act, and Chapter 61 of this title, or any successor statute. The Department shall coordinate implementation of the Delaware Safe Drinking Water Revolving Fund with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control which shall be responsible for financial administration of the loan portion of the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. The Department shall take all actions necessary to secure for the State the benefits of the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act.
b. Standards and procedures. — Before making any loan from the Delaware Safe Drinking Water Revolving Fund, the Department shall specify:
1. Standards for the eligibility of borrowers and the type of projects to be financed with loans;
2. Procedures for the preparation, review and approval of the “project priority” list, which must contain those projects for which financial assistance is sought;
3. Procedures for submitting applications for financial assistance and procedures for Department approval of such applications;
4. Procedures for completing an environmental review of projects otherwise qualifying under this paragraph which shall be sufficiently consistent with the provisions for environmental review established under applicable state and federal requirements;
5. Conditions for financial assistance; and
6. Other relevant criteria, standards and procedures.
Standards and procedures specified under this paragraph shall provide for final recommendations by the Water Infrastructure Advisory Council of any loan from the Delaware Safe Drinking Water Revolving Fund and the “project priority” list as required by Chapter 61 of this title, or any successor statute.
29 Del. C. 1953, §  7903;  57 Del. Laws, c. 301, §  1;  57 Del. Laws, c. 591, §  58;  59 Del. Laws, c. 136, §  1;  59 Del. Laws, c. 273, §  1;  60 Del. Laws, c. 251, §  1;  61 Del. Laws, c. 274, §  1;  62 Del. Laws, c. 68, §  116;  62 Del. Laws, c. 86, §  11;  64 Del. Laws, c. 467, §  1;  65 Del. Laws, c. 89, §  2;  69 Del. Laws, c. 345, §  1;  70 Del. Laws, c. 149, §  220;  70 Del. Laws, c. 186, §  1;  71 Del. Laws, c. 212, §  1;  71 Del. Laws, c. 290, §  3;  71 Del. Laws, c. 486, §  3;  71 Del. Laws, c. 489, §  1;  73 Del. Laws, c. 41, §  1;  73 Del. Laws, c. 68, §  4;  77 Del. Laws, c. 246, §  1;  78 Del. Laws, c. 179, §§  313, 314;  79 Del. Laws, c. 48, §  3;  79 Del. Laws, c. 265, §  2;  80 Del. Laws, c. 234, §  26;  81 Del. Laws, c. 209, § 11;  84 Del. Laws, c. 92, § 8;  84 Del. Laws, c. 92, § 9;