The Tacoma–Pierce County Health Department (TPCHD) is a public

health department A health department or health ministry is a part of government which focuses on issues related to the general health of the citizenry. Subnational entities, such as states, counties and cities, often also operate a health department of their ow ...

serving Tacoma and Pierce County in the U.S. state of

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered on ...

. It was formed by the city government of Tacoma and Pierce County through an interlocal agreement signed in 1972. The agency has approximately 270 employees and an annual budget of $79.1 million. An attempt in December 2020 to dissolve the joint health department and create a county-only equivalent during the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

was considered by the

Pierce County Council The Pierce County Council is a county legislative council with jurisdiction over Pierce County, Washington. In addition to serving as the legislative branch of the county's government, the council is responsible for managing the Pierce County S ...

amid public outcry and criticism. Under the county ordinance, the interlocal agreement would be dissolved in late 2022, following a transition process. Governor

Jay Inslee Jay Robert Inslee (; born February 9, 1951) is an American politician, lawyer, and economist who has served as the 23rd governor of Washington since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as a member of the U.S. House of Representat ...

had issued a proclamation to halt the termination of local health departments during the COVID-19 pandemic under his emergency powers in response to the plan. The county council's vote was tied 3–3 after one member abstained; the ordinance's sponsor, councilmember

Pam Roach Pamela Jean Roach (née Norris, born April 26, 1948) is an American politician who served as a member of the Pierce County Council from 2017 to 2021. A member of the Republican Party, she previously served as a member of the Washington State Se ...

, also voted no after public testimony. The county council passed a

sales tax A sales tax is a tax paid to a governing body for the sales of certain goods and services. Usually laws allow the seller to collect funds for the tax from the consumer at the point of purchase. When a tax on goods or services is paid to a govern ...

increase later that month to fund

behavioral health Mental health encompasses emotional, psychological, and social well-being, influencing cognition, perception, and behavior. It likewise determines how an individual handles stress, interpersonal relationships, and decision-making. Mental health ...

services, following criticism for the lack of programs similar to neighboring counties. Pierce County was the last remaining large county in Western Washington to adopt the measure.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department County government agencies in Washington (state) Health departments in the United States Medical and health organizations based in Washington (state) Pierce County, Washington Tacoma, Washington