Florida Health Review

The Florida Department of Health is a cabinet-level agency of the state government which protects, promotes and improves the health of all residents of Florida through the joint state, county, and community efforts. The agency is headed by a state surgeon general who reports to the governor. The Florida Department of Health has its headquarters in Tallahassee. The department is accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB). The agency operates county health departments in all counties of the state and employs 17,000+ persons.

Responsibilities

The department is responsible for public health, including:

  • Epidemiology;
  • Epilepsy;
  • Chronic disease;
  • Investigating foodborne illness and zoonotic and waterborne diseases;
  • Provision of vital records;
  • Controlling communicable disease;
  • Public health dentistry and oral health;
  • Nutrition;
  • Vaccinations/preventable disease;
  • Eliminating health disparities;
  • Environmental health;
  • School health;
  • Health promotion and education;
  • Women’s health;
  • Medical Quality Assurance;
  • Emergency preparedness and bioterrorism;
  • Spinal cord injury prevention programs.

Programs & Services

  • Children’s Health (Birth Certificates, Breastfeeding, Drowning Prevention, Immunization, Infant Safe Sleep Environment, Lead Poisoning, Newborn Screening, Safe Kids Florida, School Health, Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths, Child Care Food Program), WIC (Women, Infants, & Children), Healthy Start, CMS Kids, CMS Managed Care Plan, Early Steps, Literacy);
  • Women’s Health (Family Planning, Pregnancy Resources, Statistics and Data, Healthy Start, Florida Life Course Indicator Report)
    WIC Program (WIC EBT Login, Apply for WIC, WIC Program Information, WIC Foods, Food Vendors, Health Care Providers, Nutrition Materials);
  • Community Health (Built Environment, Dental Health, Health Councils, Literacy, Men’s Health, State and Community Health Assessments, Young Adults, Volunteer Opportunities, Refugee Health Program, Rural Health, Public Health Research, Environmental Public Health Tracking);
  • Minority Health & Health Equity (Minority Health and Health Equity, Health Equity Initiatives);
  • People with Disabilities (Disability and Health Program, Disability Determinations, Disability Area Offices, Special Needs Sheltering, Vulnerable Populations);
  • Emergency Preparedness & Response (Tools and resources to help you and your family prepare for any disaster, Be Informed, Build a Disaster Kit, Mental & Behavior Health, Children’s Disaster Preparedness, Current Hazards, Special Needs, Bureau of Public Health Laboratories, Community Preparedness, Environmental Health Preparedness, Disaster Response Resources, Preparedness Planning, Preparedness Training, Exercise, and Evaluation, Radiation Control, Disaster Behavioral Health, Discharge Planning, Hospital Contracts, Special Needs Sheltering, Preparedness Training Exercises, Vulnerable Populations);
  • Office of Medical Marijuana Use;
  • Public Health Campaigns (Measles, Microblading, Trending Campaigns, Aquatic Toxins—Swim It Shore It, Flu—Keep Vaccine Between, Hepatitis A, Measles, Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS).

Diseases Guidelines

Florida Health website is also a source of relevant and up-to-date information about a wide range of diseases, including HIV/AIDS, asthma, cancer, diabetes, STDs, epilepsy, heart disease, stroke, dengue, hepatitis, and others.

Certificates

Here you can order certificates such as Apostilles, Birth Certificates, Death Certificates, Divorce Certificates, Marriage Certificates. You may need certified copies of these vital records for passports, employment, proof of citizenship, school entrance, governmental benefits or insurance.

Contact Information

Many of the Florida Health’s services are provided locally at county health departments and it’s recommended that you contact them directly for details. A list of our county health departments can be accessed on the website. However, you can send your question or comment to the general Department of Health portal at health@flhealth.gov, and your email will be directed to the appropriate program.

General mailing address:

Florida Department of Health
4052 Bald Cypress Way
Tallahassee, FL 32399
850 245-4444

Category: Department Review