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The Puget Sound Health Systems Agency is a non-profit corporation which provides a mechanism for improving and coordinating health planning in the Northwest Washington health service area. It is a federation of 6 member or subarea councils. Each subarea council has a general membership that is open to the public. King County Health Planning Council (prior to 1976 known as King County Comprehensive Health Planning Council) is a member and subarea council of the Puget Sound Health Systems Agency (prior to 1976 known as the Puget Sound Health Planning Council). Early in 1976, Puget Sound Health Planning Council (PSHPC) applied to the Department of Health, Education and Welfare for federal designation as a health system agency in order to qualify for federal grants and funds. They were granted designation but then in 1977 the member counties sued the federal government. Challenging the constitutionality of the PSHSA, they claimed that local powers had been usurped and that the PSHSA Board had little representation by elected officials yet still controlled county funds. The six subarea councils identified local health care problems, reviewed requests by local facilities for federal grants, and made recommendations to the PSHSA.