About Texas Local Public Health Organizations

Texas local public health organizations vary in size and the range of services provided based on availability and type of funding, expertise, and need as determined by the community they serve. 

According to the Health and Safety Code, Chapter 121, public health at the local level is categorized into three forms:

• Local Health Department (County, City or County/City Jurisdiction);
• Public Health District (Consists of two or more counties or municipalities; a county and one or more municipalities in the county; or two or more counties and one or more municipalities in those counties);
• Local Health Unit (A division of a local municipal or county government that provides public health services – generally environmental services, but not to the level of a Department or District)

Generally, a local public health organization as identified above provides some or all of the following services:

• Immunization Services
• Communicable Disease Prevention and Treatment (HIV/STD)
• Tuberculosis Treatment and Prevention Services
• Zoonotic Disease Surveillance and Treatment
• Chronic Disease Prevention
• Maternal and Child Health Care Services (including WIC)
• Public Health Emergency Preparedness Services
• Disease Surveillance and Tracking Services
• Food Safety & Sanitation Services (Restaurant/Retail Food Establishment Inspections)
• Environmental Health Services (Water/Sewage/Air Quality)
• Health and Public Health Education/Promotion

The link below includes local public health organizations that may reside in your community.  If you live in a community that does not have a local public health organization, please contact our DSHS Public Health Regions for further assistance.

Local and State Listings:

• Texas Local Public Health Organizations - A listing of Local Health Departments, Public Health Districts and Local Health Units in Texas.
• DSHS Public Health Regions - A listing of the DSHS Public Health Regions that includes headquarter locations, Regional Medical Directors and Deputy Directors, and links to their webpages.
• Please feel free to contact our Office of Public Health for any additional information or questions you might have at 512-776-7770.

Local Public Health Organization Resources

• National Association of County and City Health Officials - NACCHO
• Texas Association of County and City Health Officials - TACCHO
• Association of State and Territorial Health Officials - ASTHO
• Texas Association of Municipal Health Officials - TAMHO
• CDC Healthy People 2020
• NACCHO Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships - MAPP
• CDC National Performance Standards - NPHPS
• Public Health Accreditation Board - PHAB
• Public Health Institute - PHI
• DSHS Public Health Funding and Policy Committee - PHFPC
• State of Texas Indigent Health Care Act
• State of Texas Communicable Disease Act
• State of Texas Local Public Health Reorganization Act

RLHO Contacts