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DHS Structure - Public Health Division (PHD)
Assistant DHS Director/Public Health Director: Mel Kohn, M.D.
Deputy Assistant Director: Bill Coulombe
The Public Health Division touches every person, every day, and helps Oregon communities create healthy environments so those who live there can be well. Public health is based on science and focuses on population groups rather than on the individual. It emphasizes preventing illness and injury rather than treating a medical condition that has already occurred. Many public health activities are invisible to the public but they quickly become apparent when there are wide-scale health threats, such as a communicable disease outbreak; bioterrorist threat; contamination in the air, food or water; or escalating chronic disease.
The mission of the division is to protect and promote the health of all people of Oregon by:
- Protecting individuals and communities against the spread of disease, injuries, and environmental hazards.
- Promoting and encouraging healthy behaviors.
- Responding to disasters and assisting communities in recovery.
- Assuring the quality and accessibility of health services.
The division's main program areas include:
Community Health and Health Planning
Promotes access to high-quality, safe health care by collaborating with a variety of public and private partners on policy development and program implementation. Through its regulatory activities, also assures established standards are met by hospitals, emergency medical technicians, ambulance services, and trauma systems.
Disease Prevention and Epidemiology
Works to prevent and control illness and death from injury, acute and communicable diseases, sexually transmitted diseases, and environmental and occupational illnesses. Promotes healthy behaviors by funding screenings for cancer and working to reduce tobacco use. Also maintains Oregon's vital records (births, deaths, marriages, divorces), analyzes health-related data, and conducts research and evaluation to design public-health strategies.
Emergency Preparedness
Oregon's Public Health Emergency Preparedness program (PHEP), in a joint effort with the Conference of Local Health Officials (CLHO ), develops plans and procedures to better prepare Oregon to respond, mitigate, and recover from all public health emergencies. This effort is an emergency response collaboration with Oregon Emergency Management (OEM).
Environmental Public Health
Helps control environmental hazards through oversight of public drinking-water systems, restaurants and other food-service facilities. Also monitors other hazards such as lead, toxic materials and household molds. Administers radiation protection, environmental toxicology programs and licensed facility sanitation programs. Also carries out surveillance and tracking programs on environmental and occupational health; performs health assessments in affected communities.
Family Health Services
Works to improve and promote the overall health of Oregon's women, infants, and children through preventive health programs and services, including prenatal care and pregnancy health, early childhood nurse home visiting services, WIC supplemental nutrition services, reproductive and family planning services, school-based health services, promotion of oral health, and promotion of nutrition and physical activity.
Multicultural Health
Plays a strong leadership role in helping the Oregon Health Services focus attention on communities of color, Indian tribal governments, and other multicultural groups. Improves the health status of under-served and under-represented populations in Oregon through multicultural and culturally competent approaches that influence the way in which health services are designed and delivered.
Public Health Laboratory
Provides laboratory services to state and county infectious-disease programs; screens newborns for metabolic disorders; and licenses other clinical and environmental laboratories.
Public Health Officer
Provides support and technical assistance to county health departments, and coordinates and oversees county health plans and funds from DHS.
See the Public Health Division organization chart and contact information.
See overview information for all DHS divisions:
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