State Health Departments Role in Health Care
The U.S. Constitution gives state governments the primary role in providing health care for their citizens. Most states have several different agencies that are responsible for specific public health services. There is usually a lead state agency with approximately 20 agencies that target health issues like aging, living, and working environments, as well as alcoholism and substance abuse. Many state agencies are responsible for implementing certain federal acts, such as the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and the Safe Drinking Water Act ( Turnock, 2007 ). State health departments monitor communities to identify health problems. Additionally, they diagnose and investigate health problems and provide education about health issues. They also develop policies to support community health. They must enforce laws and regulations to promote health and safety. Most state agencies are responsible for or share responsibility for federal programs related to maternal and infant health services and cancer prevention. They are responsible for providing population-based services for the CDC’s health priorities, which include motor vehicle injuries, HIV, obesity, food safety, tobacco use, teen pregnancy, and nutrition. Vital statistics collected include deaths, births, marriages, and health and disease statuses of the population. These statistics are important to collect because they serve as a basis for funding. The Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) decides which diseases should be considered reportable to the CDC, which then produces the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) . The MMWR is an estimate of the prevalence of disease throughout the country ( Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, 2016 ).
State health departments also license health professionals such as physicians, dentists, chiropractors, nurses, pharmacists, optometrists, and veterinarians who practice within the state. Further, they inspect and license healthcare facilities such as hospitals and nursing homes. Most state agencies provide technical assistance to their local health departments in the following areas: (1) quality improvement, (2) data management, (3) public health law, (4) human resource management, and (5) policy development. It is important to emphasize that the state health department provides oversight to local health departments, which are directly responsible for providing public health activities for their community ( Mays, 2008 ). State agencies are funded primarily by federal sources, state resources, and Medicaid and Medicare, with the remaining sources supplied by fines and fees, indirect federal funding, and other minor sources ( Association of State and Territorial Health Officials Profile, 2016 ).