In its assessment of human services in the county, the Fairfax County Goals Advisory Commission found that the county did not have a comprehensive human services plan to establish, review, and coordinate service needs, resource requirements, funding allocations, and priorities across all human service agencies. The Commission also found that the county did not have an organization to coordinate the plans, priorities, and efforts of all human service agencies. In response to these findings, the Board of Supervisors chartered the Human Services Council on June 6, 1988.
The Council is typically comprised of 20 citizens who are appointed by the Board of Supervisors, representing each of the magisterial districts in Fairfax County (two of the Council members are appointed at-large by the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors).