Government

What does the do?

Updates published annually

The Program Support Center (PSC) is a subdivision of the US Department of Health and Human Services responsible for providing a wide range of administrative and operational support services to various components of the department and other federal agencies. These services include financial management, human resources, procurement, and other essential functions that help ensure the efficient operation of government programs. The PSC aims to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of government operations through shared services and innovative solutions. It was established in 1995.

In FY 2024,

-$156M

in net spending was recorded by the Program Support Center

How much does the Program Support Center spend?

The Program Support Center spent a net total of -$155.8 million in fiscal year (FY) 2024. The Program Support Center ranked 11th among HHS subdivisions in net spending.
Net spending is the difference between agency spending and any financial accounts generating funds from the agency’s own activities, like fees or rent. When these funds offset all spending, net spending appears negative. Some agencies tend to operate with positive net spending while others will register negative net spending sometimes or often.

The Program Support Center ranked 11th among Department of Health and Human Services divisions in net spending in 2024.

HHS net spending by division, FY 2024

Like the overall federal budget, agency spending may shift over time due to population growth, changes in policy and programs, and emerging problems to address. Adjusting for inflation, the Program Support Center’s federal spending has decreased from $428.1 million (in 2024 dollars) in 1995 to -$155.8 million in 2024.

The Program Support Center’s federal spending in FY 2024 was lower than in FY 1995.

Yearly federal net spending by PSC, adjusted for inflation (2024 dollars), FYs 1995–2024

Since 1995, the Program Support Center's net spending has decreased by $583.9 million, while overall federal spending has increased from $3.15 trillion (in 2024 dollars) to $6.78 trillion, or 115.2%.
As a percentage of the overall federal budget, a positive number means agency net spending made up some positive share of total federal spending; a negative number means that net generated funds offset a portion of total spending. In 2024, the PSC offset 0.0023% of all federal spending with negative net spending.

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Major legislation, internal or global economic conditions, and acute events like the COVID-19 pandemic can affect spending year to year. For example, the federal budget fluctuated during the pandemic, rising from $5.3 trillion (in 2023 dollars) in 2019 to $7.7 trillion in 2020 and $7.8 trillion in 2021.

The Program Support Center offset 0.0023% of overall federal spending in FY 2024.

Net spending by PSC as a share of federal spending, FYs 1995–2024

Most federal spending can be categorized as direct or indirect. Direct spending refers to money the federal government spends on budget items such as federal programs, employee salaries, and debt interest. Indirect spending refers to federal transfers to state and local governments.
In FY 2024, all of the Program Support Center's spending was direct.
The chart below outlines all net PSC spending.

How did the Program Support Center spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to PSC, FY 2024

How many people work for the Program Support Center?

Some 410 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the Program Support Center as of September 2024. This is 48.9% fewer people than the division staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the Program Support Center has decreased 48.9% since 2010.

Number of federal employees working for PSC, September 2010–2024

The Program Support Center accounts for 0.018% of the overall federal workforce. As the number of federal employees has changed, so too has the way the workforce is organized, with resources allocated to agencies depending on government priorities. The division constituted a smaller share of the overall federal workforce in September 2024 compared to 2010 (0.038%).
While the number of employees on an agency’s payroll contributes to that agency’s expenditures, some agencies have relatively few employees compared to their budget or vice versa, giving them an outsized share of either the budget or the workforce. According to the most recent data, the Program Support Center's share of the workforce (0.018%) is larger than its share of the budget (-0.0023%).

Who leads the Program Support Center?

PSC is led by a director, who reports to the Assistant Secretary for Administration within Health and Human Services.

Keep exploring

Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.

  • Office of Personnel Management

    FedScope

  • Office of Management and Budget and US Department of the Treasury

    Budget of the US Government and Monthly Treasury Statement

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