4265 Department of Public Health
Program Descriptions

10 - PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

The Public Health Emergency Preparedness program coordinates preparedness and response activities for all public health emergencies, including natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and pandemic diseases. The program plans and supports surge capacity in the medical care and public health systems to meet needs during emergencies. The program also administers federal and state funds that support California Department of Public Health's (CDPH) emergency preparedness activities.

20 - PUBLIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

The Public and Environmental Health program's objective is to prevent disease and premature death and to enhance the health and well being of all Californians. These objectives are achieved by:
  • Working with local public health agencies that protect and enhance public health.
  • Coordinating prevention-related programs to promote healthy environments and minimize the incidence, prevalence, and duration of infectious diseases, injuries, volence, and chronic diseases.
  • Regulating and developing partnerships with non-profit, and public and private businesses and industries to achieve and maintain a healthful environment.
  • Designing community and environmental health promotion and treatment strategies and evaluating their cost effectiveness.
  • Providing quality laboratory services for biomedical, bioenvironmental, forensic alcohol and methadone drug analyses.
  • Supporting research into the cause, prevention, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer.

20.10 - Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion:
This program works to prevent and control chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes; and to prevent or reduce disease and injury related to environmental and occupational factors. This program includes Chronic Disease and Injury Control, and Environmental and Occupational Disease Control.

20.20 - Infectious Disease:
This program works to prevent and control infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, influenza and other vaccine preventable illnesses, tuberculosis, emerging infections, and foodborne illnesses. This program includes Communicable Disease Control and the Office of AIDS.

20.30 - Family Health:
This program ensures access to coordinated preventive and primary care services for low-income women, infants, children, and families and children with special needs. This program includes Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Genetic Disease Testing, Family Planning Services, and the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.

20.40 - Health Information and Strategic Planning:
This program works to improve public health by developing data systems and facilitating the collection, validation, analysis, and dissemination of health information. This program includes Vital Records, Public Health Informatics, and department-wide initiatives related to Strategic Planning and Performance Management.

20.50 - County Health Services:
This program supports county-based public health information and services including the Medical Marijuana Program and Refugee Health Services.

20.60 - Environmental Health:
This program works to protect and improve the health of all California residents by ensuring the safety of drinking water, food, drugs, and medical devices; conducting environmental management programs; and overseeing the use of radiation through investigation, inspection, laboratory testing, and regulatory activities. This program includes Drinking Water and Environmental Management, and Food, Drug, and Radiation Safety.

30 - LICENSING AND CERTIFICATION

Health Facilities: This program regulates the quality of care in approximately 7,000 public and private health facilities, clinics, agencies throughout the state, licenses Nursing Home Administrators, and certifies Nurse Assistants, Home Health Aides, Hemodialysis Technicians, and other direct care staff.

Laboratory Field Services: This program regulates quality standards in approximately 19,000 clinical laboratories, public health laboratories, blood banks and tissue banks in California and licenses 30 different categories of laboratory personnel including laboratory scientists, phlebotomists, genetic scientists and clinical chemists.

40 - DEPARTMENTAL ADMINISTRATION

This program provides overall management, planning, policy development, legal and administrative support services for all CDPH programs. This program is carried out by the Executive Division, Office of Legal Services, Office of Civil Rights, Office of Multicultural Health, Office of Women's Health, Legislative and Governmental Affairs, Office of Public Affairs, Information Technology Division, Administration Division, and program division offices.