HHS Reorganizes Office of the Chief Information Officer as Standalone Entity Reporting to Secretary
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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a notice effective April 3, 2026, revising its organizational structure by elevating the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) from a subcomponent of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration (ASA) to a standalone organization reporting directly to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary. This change supersedes prior notices from 2009 and 2025, removing all OCIO references from ASA descriptions and reassigning its functions accordingly. The OCIO, led by the Chief Information Officer (CIO), now includes seven components: Immediate Office, Office of Information Security, Office of Operations, Office of HR IT Modernization, Office of the Chief Data Officer, Office of the Chief Technology Officer, and Office of the Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer. These offices handle IT strategy, cybersecurity, data governance, emerging technologies, AI policy, infrastructure operations, and HR IT modernization across HHS. Delegations of authority to the CIO remain intact and are transferred to the new OCIO structure. The reorganization aims to enhance HHS's IT leadership, cybersecurity, data management, and AI governance to support departmental missions more effectively.
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Key Changes
- OCIO removed from ASA and established as standalone reporting to Secretary/Deputy Secretary effective April 3, 2026
- Supersedes 74 FR 57747 (Nov 9, 2009) and 90 FR 3655 (Jan 10, 2025)
- OCIO now has 7 components including new Offices for Chief Data Officer (AO5), Chief Technology Officer (AO6), Chief AI Officer (AO7)
+ 3 more changes with Pro
Obligations
What this law requires
Remove all references to the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) from the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration (ASA) organizational description in Federal Register notice 90 FR 3655 (January 10, 2025)
Reassign all functions, responsibilities, and delegations previously assigned to OCIO under ASA to the newly established standalone Office of the Chief Information Officer
Establish the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) as a standalone organization reporting directly to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary, effective upon publication in the Federal Register
Maintain the seven OCIO component offices: Immediate Office, Office of Information Security, Office of Operations, Office of HR IT Modernization, Office of the Chief Data Officer, Office of the Chief Technology Officer, and Office of the Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer
Ensure the Chief Information Officer (CIO) leads the OCIO with direct reports including the Deputy CIO, Chief Technology Officer, and Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer