Alabama. Dept. of Public Health.

Sources:

Alabama Government Manual, 1982.

Alabama Official and Statistical Register, 1979.

Code of Alabama 1975, Sec. 22-2-1 to 22-2-14.

Acts 1874-1875, No. 34, Feb. 19, 1875.

Code of Alabama 1940, Title 22, Sec. 9.

Dept. of Public Health, 1988 Annual Report.

The State Department of Public Health exercises general control over the enforcement of laws relating to public health. The principal goal of the Department is to initiate and carry out primary and secondary preventive medical programs. The ancillary goal is to provide medical services to those who are unable to receive medical treatment through private channels.

The State Health Officer is elected by the State Committee of Public Health. Qualifications, term of office, and salary are determined by the Committee under provisions of 1975 Ala. Code, Sec. 22-2-8. (Alabama Government Manual, 1982)

The State Health Officer serves as executive officer of the Department, executes laws, policies, rules, and regulations concerning public health, exercises certain supervision over county and municipal health organizations, and is required to keep informed as to public health conditions throughout the State. The Health Officer informs the Governor concerning State health conditions, particularly the status of infectious and contagious diseases. (Alabama Government Manual, 1982)

The State Health Officer hires all necessary departmental personnel deemed pertinent to the administration of the Department's duties, sets salaries subject to the approval of the State Personnel Board, and issues or provides for issuing permits required by establishments open to public use. (Alabama Government Manual, 1982)

The State Health Officer by state statute also serves as an ex-officio member of the Board for Distribution and Delivery of Dead Bodies, State Building Commission, Commission on the Aging, Board of Directors of the Department of Youth Services, Radiation Advisory Board, Alabama Resources Development Committee, Alabama Pollution Control Authority, and Chairman of the Board of Registration for Sanitarians. (Alabama Government Manual, 1982).

In 1875, as a consequence of legislative action, a Board of Health for the State was established; the original Board of Health was little more than an outgrowth of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama. The original Board was authorized to take cognizance of the interests of health and life among the people of the State, to investigate the causes, and means of prevention, of endemic and epidemic diseases, to investigate the influences of localities and employments upon the public health, to make such suggestions to the general assembly as they deem advisable, and to be in all ways the medical advisors of the State. Furthermore, the Board was required to make an annual report of their investigations and transactions (to the Governor, for transmission to the General Assembly). (Acts 1874-1875, No. 34, Sec. 1-3)

The "originating act" of 1875 also made concessions for the creation, administration, and perpetuation of boards of health for the respective counties of the State. The county boards were created primarily to aid the State Board of Health in the administration of its duties. Furthermore, the original act emphatically forbade the creation of other "non-authorized" boards of health in the state. (Acts 1874-1875, No. 34, Sec. 4-8)

In 1877, the office of State Health Officer was created to administer and oversee the legally authorized duties and functions of the aforementioned, previously-authorized Board of Health for the State of Alabama. The State Health Officer, under the direction of the Board of Health, was authorized to exercise general supervision over county boards of health and county and municipal health officers. He was authorized, as well as, required to report any delinquencies of official duty (by the county and municipal health officers) to the county boards of health. The State Health Officer was to keep himself informed in regard to all infectious, contagious, and pestilential diseases which may have been in danger of invading the state, and so far as was authorized by law, to make prompt measures to prevent such invasion. The Officer was enjoined to keep the Governor informed as to health conditions prevailing in the state, especially as to any diseases enumerated in the provisions of the creating authority, and was to submit any recommendations to the Governor as he deemed necessary, proper, and expedient to the control of such outbreaks. Basically and concretely, the said officer was vested with all administrative powers deemed pertinent to the administration and perpetuation of the Board's previously allocated and authorized duties, functions, and programs. (Code of Alabama 1940, Title 22, Sec. 9)

Despite various constitutional amendments and revisions, and legislative actions of similar character, the original, previously allocated duties and functions of the State Board of Health maintained their original content and character; however, the State Board of Health, lacking official authorizations to do so, has been frequently referred to as the Department of Public Health. (Alabama Government Manual, 1982)

Currently, the State Board exercises general control over the enforcement of public health laws. It acts as an advisory board to the State in all medical matters and matters of sanitation and public health, and it assists and advises all county boards of health, health officers, and quarantine officers. The Board adopts and promulgates rules and regulations for administering health and quarantine laws. (Alabama Government Manual, 1982)

The Board, through department investigations, makes determinations of the effect of communicable, debilitating diseases and directs the policies and procedures to be used to limit and/or eradicate illnesses in the citizens of this State. It directs investigations of all places, institutions, establishments, and other public centers and prescribes the methods to correct any conditions prejudicial to health. The Board supervises all examinations of all sources of drinking water, including pumping and storage facilities. (Alabama Government Manual, 1982)

The State Board of Health (a.k.a. Department of Public Health) also has charge of the registration of births, deaths, stillbirths, marriages, and divorces. It prescribes the form for reporting vital events. The Board prescribes rules for transporting dead bodies through the State. It instigates investigations of persons who appear to have tuberculosis and refuse treatment, and it may file affidavits with probate judges asking for the examination of such persons. There are a number of advisory boards, committees, and councils that work with the State Board of Health. The Board is required to submit an annual report to the Governor. The Medical Association of the State of Alabama is ex-officio the State Board of Health, as was previously stated. (Alabama Government Manual, 1982)

The State Committee of Public Health acts for the State Board of Health when the Board is not in session and has all the power and duties of the Board. It adopts and issues rules and regulations concerning health problems of the people of the State. The State Committee is composed of twelve members of the State Board of Censors of the Medical Association of the State of Ala. and the chairmen of four councils created by statute in 1973. These are the Council on Dental Health, Council on Animal and Environmental Health, Council on Prevention of Disease and Medical Care, and the Council on Health Costs Administration and Organization. (Alabama Government Manual, 1982)

The Department receives operating funds from the federal and state governments. In addition, fees are charged for certain services such as licenses, certifications, and vital records. (Alabama Government Manual, 1982)

Program Bureaus and Divisions of the Dept. of Public Health:

Bureau of Clinical Laboratories - Composed ot the Division of Administrative Support Services, Division of Microbiology, Division of Mycobacteriology/Mycology, Division of Scientific Services, Division of Serology, Birmingham Division, Decatur Division, Dothan Division, and Mobile Division.

Bureau of Environmental and Health Service Standards - Composed of the Division of Environmental Health, Division of Emergency Medical Services, Division of Licensure and Certification, Health Maintenance Organization Branch, and Hearing Aid Dealer Board.

Bureau of Disease Control and Rehabilitative Services - Composed of the Division of Disease Control, Division of Epidemiology (ALAV89-A239), Division of Long Term Care and Rehabilitation, and Division of AIDS Prevention and Control.

Bureau of Family Health Services - Composed of the Division of Family Planning, Division of Maternity Services, Dental Health Section, Division of Child Health, Primary Health Care Services Section, and Division of WIC.

Bureau of Vital Statistics - Composed of the Division of Record Preservation and Certification Services, Division of Record Services, Division of Registration Services, and the Division of Statistical Analysis Services.

County Health Departments.

Administrative offices of the Dept. of Public Health: Office of Administrative Services, Office of Health Promotion and Information, Office of Internal Audit and Office of Management Services (1988 Annual Report).