Florida Department of Health
The Florida Department of Health is responsible for protecting the public health and safety of the residents and visitors of the state of Florida. It is a cabinet-level agency of the state government, headed by a state surgeon general who reports to the governor. The department has its headquarters in Tallahassee.[1]
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| Department overview | |
|---|---|
| Preceding Department |
|
| Jurisdiction | Government of Florida |
| Headquarters | Tallahassee, Florida 30.39°N 84.23°W |
| Department executive | |
| Website | www |
History
During the 1996 legislative session, the beleaguered Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services was reconstructed as two entities: the Department of Health and the Florida Department of Children and Families.[2]
The Florida Department of Health operates county health departments in all 67 of the state's counties. The agency employs more than 17,000 persons. It has worked on two-year-old immunizations, tobacco control, and statewide preparedness response efforts.
The Florida Department of Health is responsible for public health, including: [3]
- Epidemiology
- Investigating foodborne illness and zoonotic and waterborne diseases
- Emergency preparedness and bioterrorism
- Controlling communicable disease
- Health promotion and education
- School health. The department manages the school health services program in cooperation with the Florida Department of Education. Funding comes from a variety of sources, including DOH and local school districts.[4]
- Women's health
- Public health dentistry and oral health
- Nutrition
- Vaccinations/preventable disease
- Eliminating health disparities
- Provision of vital records
- Environmental health
- Medical Quality Assurance
- Epilepsy
- Chronic disease
- Spinal cord injury prevention programs
COVID-19
On 15 February, 2023, the department published a safety alert from the State Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo warning of “a novel increase” in adverse event reports related to mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines.[5]
References
- "Florida Department of Health Contacts." Florida Department of Health. Retrieved on October 26, 2010. "Administration 4052 Bald Cypress Way Tallahassee , FL."
- "Florida Department of Health - FDOH" United States Department of Health and Human Services website
- "Public health". Florida Department of Health. Archived from the original on 2007-11-05. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
- "School Nurses". Merritt Island, Florida: Space Coast Medicine and Healthy Living. March–April 2009. pp. 21–33.
- Communications Office (2023-02-15). "Health Alert on mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine Safety". Florida Department of Health. Archived from the original on 2023-02-16. Retrieved 2023-02-16.