The purpose of the Florida Department of Health is to take responsibility for the state's public health system which shall be designed to promote, protect, and improve the health of all people in the state.

The department's activities include the following.

• Chronic Disease Prevention works toward reducing chronic conditions and diseases such as asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, heart disease, and stroke.  
• Prevention, Safety, and Wellness programs seek to prevent a variety of harms to Floridians, including drowning, flu, sexual abuse and violence, human trafficking, older adult falls, and suicide. 
• Community Health programs support school-based sealant programs, and county health department dental programs; provide health services to refugees; improve the health of rural communities; conduct community health assessments; and promote access to health care through recruiting volunteers. 
• Disability Determinations determine eligibility for Florida citizens who apply for disability benefits under the federal Social Security Act or the state's Medically Needy Program.
• Emergency Preparedness and Response provides tools and resources to prepare for disasters; ensures that there is capacity and capability from public health and medical services during any event; ensures that the public health and health care system are trained to respond to all hazards; leverages resources to evaluate and prevent health risks; provides disaster response resources; and licenses and inspects facilities that use radioactive materials.
• Infant, Child, and Adolescent Health provides a way to order birth certificates and administers the early steps program that offers services to infants and toddlers who are at risk for developmental disabilities or delays; newborn screening for certain conditions; managed care services for children who are under 21 and have special healthcare needs; a free home visiting program, Healthy Start, that provides education and care coordination to pregnant women and families of children under the age of three; a child health insurance program, KidCare; a School Health Services program that provides basic health services to all public school students; and the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program that provides benefits to low and moderate income pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women, as well as eligible infants and children under the age of five.
• The Immunization Section promotes, monitors, and provides technical assistance to facilitate the completion of all immunizations.
• Licensing and Regulation provides information relating to professional, facility, and permit licensing along with information on enforcement. 
• County Health Departments provide public health services in partnership with county governments.

The funding information listed below is provided by Transparency Florida. Please contact the department for more information on its funding. Additional information about department funding and activities is available on the State of Florida Fiscal Portal.

Performance standards and measures for the department may be found in its Long Range Program Plan.

OPPAGA Reports and Presentations
A complete list of OPPAGA reports and presentations is available on our website. 

Other Reports
Agency Strategic Plan 2016-2021, Florida Department of Health, 2021
A complete list of Florida Auditor General reports is available on its website.

Websites of Interest
Florida Department of Health, Statistics and Data
Florida Department of Health, Press Releases
Florida Department of Health, Prescription Drug Monitoring Program
Public Health Accreditation Board
United Health Foundation, America's Health Rankings
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Institutes of Health

Florida Department of Health Contact Website
Florida Department of Health
4052 Bald Cypress Way
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
(850) 245-4444
Website