The mission of the Department of Health is to protect and improve the health and well-being of all Arkansans. The group does this with the support of more than 5,000 dedicated employees and public and private partners.

This mission of the Division of Aging and Adult Services is to promote the health, safety and independence of older Arkansans and adults with physical disabilities.

The Department of Human Services (DHS) is Arkansas’ largest state agency, with more than 7,500 employees working to ensure that citizens are healthy and safe and are enjoying a high quality of life. The agency’s staff cares for Arkansans of all ages. Often, that means providing a safety net for the most vulnerable residents. Families or individuals facing difficult times may need assistance to get back on their feet. People needing support will find at least one local DHS office in each of the state’s 75 counties.

The Attorney General’s Office fights fraud and represents Arkansas in a court of law with the mission of protecting and defending the interests of all Arkansans.

The Governor’s Advisory Council on Aging (GACA) advises the governor and the Division of Aging and Adult Services on the needs of older Arkansans and the programs that serve them. The governor appoints members, and meetings are held quarterly in Little Rock.

The governor's liaison on health policy works with the Arkansas Department of Health and the Arkansas Department of Human Services.

The Arkansas Insurance Department is the state regulatory authority for the insurance industry in Arkansas.

The Arkansas Center for Health Improvement is a nonpartisan independent health policy center dedicated to improving the health of Arkansans. It is funded by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, the Arkansas Department of Health, Arkansas Blue Cross & Blue Shield, Arkansas Children's Hospital and Delta Dental of Arkansas.

AARP, formerly the American Association of Retired Persons, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with a membership that advocates for people ages 50 and older. Since 1958, AARP has lobbied for senior issues, including the passage of Medicare in 1965. AARP offers support from staffed offices in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP), often called the Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP) in other states, is part of a national program that offers counseling and assistance to people with Medicare and to their families. Coordinators provide counseling on Medicare benefits, Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (Part D), Social Security, Medicaid and veterans' benefits. SHIIP was created under section 4360 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990. This act authorized the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to make grants to states for health advisory services programs for people with Medicare.

The Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) were established under the Older Americans Act (OAA) Comprehensive Services Amendments in 1973 to respond to the needs of Americans 60 and older in every local community. The amendments added a new Title V, which authorized grants to local community agencies in every state. The AAAs provides a range of options that allow older adults to choose the home- and community-based services and living arrangements that suit them best. These are regional agencies located throughout the state.

The long-term care ombudsman advocates for residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities. The office resolves complaints and educates seniors and long-term care providers about their rights and good care practices. The ombudsman also provides information to the public on nursing homes and other long-term care facilities and services, residents' rights, and legislative and policy issues. In 1978, an amendment to the federal Older Americans Act required every state to have an ombudsman program that addresses complaints and advocates for improvements in the long-term care system. The ombudsman program is administered by the Administration on Aging (AoA).

The Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program helps Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries avoid, detect and prevent health care fraud. The goal is to protect older people and to preserve the integrity of the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The federal program was created in 1996 by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and amended in 2006 by Titles II and IV of the Older Americans Act.

Quality Improvement Organizations (QIOs) are private, mostly not-for-profit organizations, staffed by doctors and other health care professionals, who are trained to review medical care, to help beneficiaries with complaints about the quality of care and to implement improvements in the quality of care available throughout the spectrum of care. QIOs are required under Sections 1152-1154 of the Social Security Act.

Peter Banko started in 2007 with St. Vincent Health System, a five-hospital system based in Little Rock, Ark. Previously, Banko spent four years as chief operating officer and campus administrator with CHRISTUS Spohn Heath System in Corpus Christi, Texas. Before that, he served as senior vice president for PhyAmerica Physician Group in Durham, N.C., and in various administrative positions at Saint Clare’s Health Systems in northwestern New Jersey. He earned his master’s degree in health administration from Cornell University.

Dan Rahn, a nationally recognized expert on Lyme disease, became the fourth chancellor of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in November 2009. Before joining UAMS, he served as the president of the Medical College of Georgia and senior vice chancellor for health and medical programs for the University System of Georgia. He lent his expertise to develop treatment and educational guidelines for Lyme disease. Rahn started his professional career as director of the Lyme disease program for the Yale University School of Medicine.

This is a permanent subcommittee within the larger Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee that specializes in issues dealing with health services.

This is a permanent subcommittee within the larger Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs Committee that specializes in issues dealing with aging.

This committee reviews matters pertaining to public health, mental health, mental disabilities, public welfare, human relations and resources, the aged and problems of the aging, environmental affairs, water and air pollution, labor and labor relations, and similar legislation.

This committee reviews matters pertaining to the aged and problems of aging, children and youth, military, veterans, legislative affairs, memorials, and other matters germane to the subject matter of the committee.

This is a permanent subcommittee within the larger Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee that specializes in issues dealing with human services.

This committee reviews matters pertaining to public health, mental health, mental disabilities, public welfare, human relations and resources, environmental affairs, water and air pollution, labor and labor relations, similar legislation and resolutions germane to the subject matter of the committee.

This committee reviews matters pertaining to banks and banking; savings and loan associations; stocks, bonds and other securities; securities dealers; insurance; public utilities; partnerships and corporations; home mortgage financing and housing; and similar legislation.