Florida Department of Health in Orange County

Florida Department of Health in Orange County

By County Commissioner Bryan Nelson

"Orange County works seamlessly with the Florida Department of Health in coordinating State, Federal and County benefits."

Orange County Commissioner Bryan Nelson

The Florida Department of Health (DOH) is state agency in the executive branch of Florida’s government. It is led by the State Surgeon General who is appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Florida Senate. The DOH is administered by a central office in Tallahassee, but is collaborates with all 67 counties in the state to carry out its mission and goals. The department works in conjunction with the local county governments to provide a number of services depending on the needs of each community.

The Ten Essential Services of Public Health guide the department’s mission and vision. These are ten activities or principles designed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to serve as a framework for the services governments should provide to their communities. The DOH in Orange County provides services to residents through four separate program areas. These four program areas are dedicated to the surveillance, detection, and treatment of any health and environmental threats. The department also oversees a number of wellness programs including the Tobacco Free Orange County and the Healthy Weight Initiative. The program areas include: Infectious Disease Services, Clinical and Nutrition Services, Environmental Health Services, and Emergency Preparedness and Response.

Infectious Diseases Services monitors all transmittable diseases including HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), Tuberculosis (TB), and Hepatitis.

Clinical and Nutrition Services provides health services to children, women, refugees, and other low income adults. The program delivers Dental Care for children ages 2-18 with fees based on a sliding scale and to any children ages 2-20 on Medicaid. Adults over the age of 20 with emergency dental care are also eligible for assistance. Clinical and Nutritional Services also oversees the program for Women, Infants, and Children or better known as WIC. WIC is federally funded and provides healthy foods, nutritional education, breastfeeding support, and referrals for health care and community services at no cost. As part of this program area, the department also offers Family Planning and Prenatal Health. Through this program, low income pregnant women throughout Orange County can apply for affordable prenatal care.

Environmental Health Services monitors potential health threats in the local environment. This includes monitoring threats such as biomedical waste, which is regulated in part by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Indoor air quality, lead poisoning prevention, rabies surveillance, and rodent control, are all areas that this program oversees in conjunction with other state and county departments.

Emergency Preparedness and Response works to mitigate any environmental and health hazards. This includes eminent hazards such as Zika and the most recent Hurricane Matthew. The program assists with disasters relief by administering Special Needs Shelters, and the Medical Reserve Corps among others.

The Florida Department of Health in Orange County is funded in part by federal, state, and local funding sources. $9.7 million is received from the federal government to provide aide and services to the uninsured and underinsured. $5.7 million from the State of Florida is awarded for specific categories including immunology and Tuberculosis prevention, and $3.2 million for nonspecific general use. The Department also has a $2 million contract with Orange County’s Healthy Start Coalition to provide tools and services to expectant and new mothers.

For more information regarding services provided by the department please visit: http://orange.floridahealth.gov/about-us/index.html. Here, you will find information on all of the offices and locations that provide WIC, Dental, and Family and Prenatal Services. For Apopka residents, the Apopka Health Center at 111 North Rock Springs Rd. administers the WIC program. This center can be reached at 407-858-1494.

Bryan Nelson sits on the Orange County Board of Commissioners and Represents District 2 which includes Apopka and Northwest Orange County.