This program regulates the emergency medical services and trauma system, health care professions, facilities and services, medical laboratories, state institutions, and residential treatment facilities. The program conducts much of its regulatory work through 15 health profession boards and commissions, other state agencies, and state and local organizations. The program also addresses access to care issues through work most often with rural communities and need assessments for certain services. In addition to its focus on access and quality, the program also delivers evaluation services to the Legislature in the area of credentialing new types of health care practitioners, expanding scopes of practitioner practice, and including certain services in minimum health plan benefit packages. The Community and Family Health program promotes the health and well-being of families and communities by providing leadership, financial support, and technical assistance for local communities to respond to health issues.
Programs focus on developing, supporting, and improving prevention and early intervention services.
The Administration program provides overall agency direction, management, and administrative support required to facilitate program activities. It includes the Office of the Secretary which provides leadership and direction for agency operations, policy, quality improvement, public health system planning and development, liaison with local health departments, legislative and constituent relations, and communications. The State Health Officer is housed within the Office of the Secretary and serves as the chief medical officer for the state. Management Services provides agency administrative leadership and operational guidance and support to agency programs for human resources, financial services, facilities, contracts, procurement, and risk management. Information Resource Management provides agency level information applications and data management, planning, telecommunications, information technology security, Internet services, network management, Internet services, and user desktop service and support.