40 years ago: State welfare system to be reorganized as SRS

From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Feb. 7, 1973:

In Topeka, an executive reorganization order was issued today calling for a revamping of the state welfare service. In issuing the order, Gov. Robert Docking called for a reorganization of the state Department of Social Welfare into a division to be called the “State Department of Social and Rehabilitative Services.” This was the first such order since voters in November had approved a constitutional amendment allowing the governor the power to reorganize the executive branch of state government. Docking proposed keeping the present three divisions of the welfare department — social welfare, institutional management, and vocational rehabilitation — but changing the name of the welfare division to “Social Services” and the name of institutional management to “Mental Health and Retardation Service.” He also proposed consolidation of personnel services for the three division into one personnel division. Docking said that he also wanted to create a fourth division on “Services to Children and Youth,” but there were legal questions as to whether the governor had the power to create a whole new division.