Strategic Partnerships

The Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs (IEA) serves as the principal liaison between the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and officials of state, tribal and local governments, and non-governmental organizations. Through these relationships, IEA serves as a link between HHS and communities throughout the country.

Current Partnerships

Make America Healthy Again (MAHA)

HHS has established public-private partnerships to support the Agency’s priorities around Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) with entities representing leaders within their respective sectors. Each of these partners are vested in MAHA and food for nutrition activities and have a relationship to complementary networks that are critical to our work as we seek to drive greater policy and/or practice to address the root causes of chronic disease.

Newborn Supply Kit Program

HHS’s Newborn Supply Kit Program is implemented through strategic partnerships with private-sector organizations. Modeled on successful programs in other countries, the initiative seeks to reduce the time, stress, and burden faced by new parents in accessing essential supplies, while also providing educational information for families.

The Kit includes critical health and hygiene items for mother and baby, along with educational materials on maternal health, postpartum recovery, infant safety, and care. As IEA expands the program, it is placing greater emphasis on nutrition and healthy eating and exploring partnerships to incorporate nutrition support.

About the Office of Strategic Partnerships

The HHS Office of Strategic Partnerships is located within the Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs (IEA), an Office of the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The goal of the Office of Strategic Partnerships is to achieve policy, programmatic and operational objectives by combining the Department's capabilities and resources with those of our partners from the non-Federal government sector including but not limited to business, non-profit, philanthropic, and academic communities. This Office maximizes value by working to collaborate and provide technical assistance across agencies in HHS to strengthen their partnership efforts as well as to work directly with external organizations to build new public-private partnerships.