State health agency

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A state health agency (SHA), or state department of health, is a department or agency of the state governments of the United States focused on public health. The state secretary of health is a constitutional or at times a statutory official in several states of the United States. The position is the chief executive official for the state's state health agency (or equivalent), chief administrative officer for the state's Board of Health (or equivalent), or both.

Contents

Following passage of the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974, during the first ten years of the program the state health departments were given new and important roles under the law. Due to new grants available, they had enhanced their programs and had many more resources to oversee and help utilities come into compliance with drinking water standards, and they were able to develop other related activities like the capacity for doing risk assessments on new contaminants of concern. [1]

Terminology

Although the vast majority of these agencies are officially called "departments," the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials adopted "state health agency" as the generic term to reflect the fact that a substantial number of these agencies are no longer state "departments" in the traditional sense of a cabinet-level organizational unit dedicated exclusively to public health. [2] During the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, at least 20 states and the District of Columbia merged these departments with other government agencies that provide social services, welfare, or other types of unrelated services. [2] The result is that in those jurisdictions, the state government agency that actually provides public health services is but one of several units inside a large cabinet-level agency. [2]

Responsibilities

State health departments have different names and responsibilities; in some states they are top-level administrative agencies, while in other states they are a division or bureau of another office. Health departments are usually responsible for public health, including preventive medicine, epidemiology, vaccinations, environmental health (sometimes including health inspections), and the licensing of health care professionals; the collection and archiving of vital records such as birth and death certificates and sometimes marriage and divorce certificates; health statistics; developmental disabilities; mental health; occupational safety and health; receiving and recording reports of notifiable diseases; and tobacco control.[ citation needed ]

In some states, state health departments may additionally be responsible for social services and welfare, environmental protection/pollution control, or the operation of the state psychiatric hospital. Some states have a Surgeon General.[ citation needed ]

State health agencies (SHAs)

The following are state health agencies as identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: [3]

StateSHAHealth Officer’s positionHealth Officer’s nameWebsite
Alabama Alabama Department of Public Health State Health OfficerDr. Scott Harris, MD, MPH http://alabamapublichealth.gov
Alaska Alaska Department of Health CommissionerHeidi Hedberg, BA https://health.alaska.gov
Arizona Arizona Department of Health Services Cabinet Executive OfficerJennifer Cunico, MC https://www.azdhs.gov
Arkansas Arkansas Department of Health Secretary of HealthRenee Mallory, RN, BSN https://healthy.arkansas.gov
Director, State Health Officer DesigneeDr. Jennifer Dillaha, MD
California California Department of Public Health Director, State Public Health OfficerDr. Tomás Aragón, MD, DrPH https://www.cdph.ca.gov
Colorado Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Executive DirectorJill Hunsaker Ryan, MPH
Connecticut Connecticut State Department of Public Health CommissionerDr. Manisha Juthani, MD https://portal.ct.gov/dph
Delaware Delaware Division of Public Health (Delaware Department of Health and Social Services) CommissionerSteven L. Blessing, MA https://dhss.delaware.gov/dph/
District of Columbia District of Columbia Department of Health DirectorDr. Ayanna Bennett, MD, MSPH, FAAP https://dchealth.dc.gov/
Florida Florida Department of Health Secretary and Surgeon GeneralDr. Joseph Ladapo, MD, PhD http://www.floridahealth.gov
Georgia Georgia Department of Public Health Commissioner and State Health OfficerDr. Kathleen Toomey, MD, MPH https://dph.georgia.gov
Hawaii Hawaii State Department of Health DirectorDr. Kenneth Fink, MD, MGA, MPH https://health.hawaii.gov
Idaho Division of Public Health (Idaho Department of Health and Welfare) Public Health AdministratorElke Shaw-Tulloch, MHS https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov
Illinois Illinois Department of Public Health Director of Public HealthDr. Sameer Vohra, MD, JD, MA, FAAP http://www.dph.illinois.gov
Indiana Indiana Department of Health State Health CommissionerDr. Lindsay Weaver, MD, FACEP [4] https://www.in.gov/health/
Iowa Iowa Department of Health and Human Services DirectorKelly Garcia, MPA https://hhs.iowa.gov/
State Medical Director, State Health Officer DesigneeDr. Robert Kruse, MD, MPH
Kansas Kansas Department of Health and Environment SecretaryJanet Stanek, MBA https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/
Kentucky Kentucky Department for Public Health (Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services) CommissionerDr. Steven J. Stack, MD, MBA https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dph/
Louisiana Louisiana Office of Public Health (Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals) Surgeon GeneralDr. Ralph L. Abraham, MD https://ldh.la.gov/
SecretaryMichael Harrington
Maine Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention (Maine Department of Health and Human Services) DirectorDr. Puthiery Va, DO https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/
Maryland Maryland Department of Health Secretary of HealthDr. Laura Herrera Scott, MD, MPH https://health.maryland.gov
Deputy Secretary, State Health Officer DesigneeDr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman, MD
Massachusetts Massachusetts Department of Public Health CommissionerDr. Robert Goldstein, MD, PhD https://www.mass.gov/orgs/department-of-public-health
Michigan Michigan Department of Health and Human Services DirectorElizabeth Hertel, MBA https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs
Chief Medical Executive, State Health Officer DesigneeDr. Natasha Bagdasarian, MD, MPH, FIDSA
Minnesota Minnesota Department of Health Health CommissionerDr. Brooke Cunningham, MD, PhD https://www.health.state.mn.us/
Mississippi Mississippi State Department of Health State Health OfficerDr. Daniel Edney, MD, FACP, FASAM https://msdh.ms.gov
Missouri Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services DirectorPaula Nickelson, MA https://health.mo.gov
Montana Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services State Medical DirectorDr. Douglas Harrington, MD https://dphhs.mt.gov
Nebraska Division of Public Health (Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services) Chief Executive OfficerDr. Steve Corsi, PsyD http://www.dhhs.ne.gov
Director, Division of Public Health, State Health Officer DesigneeCharity Menefee, MA
Nevada Nevada Division of Public & Behavioural Health (Nevada Department of Health and Human Services) AdministratorCody Phinney, MPH http://dhhs.nv.gov
Chief Medical Officer, State Health Officer DesigneeDr. Ihsan Azzam, MD, PhD, MPH
New Hampshire New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services Associate CommissionerPatricia Tilley, MS Ed https://www.dhhs.nh.gov
New Jersey New Jersey Department of Health Health CommissionerDr. Kaitlan Baston, MD, MSc, DFASAM https://www.nj.gov/health/
New Mexico New Mexico Department of Health Interim Cabinet SecretaryGina DeBlassie https://nmhealth.org
Chief Medical Officer, State Health Officer DesigneeDr. Miranda Durham, MD
New York New York State Department of Health Commissioner of HealthDr. James McDonald, MD, MPH https://www.health.ny.gov
North Carolina North Carolina Division of Public Health (North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services) Acting DirectorDr. Kelly Kimple, MD, MPH https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/public-health
State Health Director, Chief Medical Officer, State Health Officer DesigneeDr. Elizabeth Cuervo Tilson, MPH, MD
North Dakota North Dakota Department of Health State Health OfficerDr. Nizar Wehbi, MD, MPH, MBA, FACHE, CPH https://www.hhs.nd.gov/health
Ohio Ohio Department of Health Director of HealthDr. Bruce Vanderhoff, MD, MBA https://www.odh.ohio.gov
Oklahoma Oklahoma State Department of Health Commissioner of HealthCol. Keith Reed, RN, MPH, CPH https://oklahoma.gov/health
Oregon Public Health Division, Oregon Health Authority DirectorDr. Sejal Hathi, MD, MBA https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ph
Public Health Director, State Health Officer DesigneeNaomi Adeline-Biggs, MBBS, MPH
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Department of Health Secretary of HealthDr. Debra Bogen, MD, FAAP https://www.health.pa.gov
Rhode Island Rhode Island Department of Health DirectorDr. Jerome Larkin, MD https://health.ri.gov
South Carolina South Carolina Department of Public Health Interim DirectorDr. Edward Simmer, MD, MPH https://dph.sc.gov/
Director of Public Health, State Health Officer DesigneeDr. Brannon Traxler, MD, MPH
South Dakota South Dakota Department of Health Secretary of HealthMelissa Magstadt, CNP, MBA https://doh.sd.gov
Tennessee Tennessee Department of Health CommissionerDr. Ralph Alvarado, MD, FACP https://www.tn.gov/health
Texas Texas Department of State Health Services CommissionerDr. Jennifer Shuford, MD, MPH https://www.dshs.state.tx.us
Utah Utah Department of Health and Human Services Executive Medical DirectorDr. Stacey Bank, MD https://dhhs.utah.gov/
Vermont Vermont Department of Health Commissioner of HealthDr. Mark Levine, MD https://www.healthvermont.gov
Virginia Virginia Department of Health State Health CommissionerDr. Karen Shelton, MD http://www.vdh.virginia.gov
Washington Washington State Department of Health Secretary of HealthDr. Umair Shah, MD, MPH https://www.doh.wa.gov
West Virginia West Virginia Bureau for Public Health (West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources) State Health OfficerDr. Matthew Christiansen, MD, MPH https://dhhr.wv.gov/bph/
Wisconsin Wisconsin Department of Health Services State Health Officer, Division of Public Health AdministratorPaula Tran, MPH https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/dph/
Wyoming Public Health Division (Wyoming Department of Health) State Health OfficerDr. Alexia Harrist, MD, PhD https://health.wyo.gov
Senior Administrator, State Health Officer DesigneeStephanie Sandoval, MBA

Further reading

EPA Alumni Association: Drinking Water, Half Century of Progress – a brief history of U.S. efforts to protect drinking water

See also

References

  1. EPA Alumni Association: Senior EPA officials discuss early implementation of the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974, Video, Transcript (see p23).
  2. 1 2 3 Jarris, Paul E.; Sellers, Katie (2017). "Chapter 8: The State Public Health Agencies". In Erwin, Paul C.; Brownson, Ross C. (eds.). Scutchfield and Keck's Principles of Public Health Practice (4th ed.). Boston: Cengage. p. 122. ISBN   9781305855717 . Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  3. CDC (2024-05-14). "Health Department Directories". Public Health Professionals Gateway. Retrieved 2024-11-22.
  4. "State Health Commissioner". State of Indiana. Retrieved November 21, 2022.