The Rhode Island Department of Health is a state
government
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government i ...
agency located in
Providence
Providence often refers to:
* Providentia, the divine personification of foresight in ancient Roman religion
* Divine providence, divinely ordained events and outcomes in Christianity
* Providence, Rhode Island, the capital of Rhode Island in the ...
,
Rhode Island
Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...
. The interim Director of the Department of Health is James McDonald, who succeeded
Nicole Alexander-Scott in January 2022.
Mission
The Department's mission is "to prevent disease and protect and promote the health and safety of the people of Rhode Island."
Divisions and Centers
The Rhode Island Department of Health coordinates statewide
public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the det ...
activities across the state. All programs and services are coordinated by Divisions and Centers.
* Central Management is divided into three programs: Executive Functions, Management Services, and Emergency Preparedness and Response. Executive Functions is headed by the Director of Health and oversees all Department-sponsored activities. Management Services oversees the Department budget and provides support to manage programs. Emergency Preparedness and Response plans, assesses, educates, and supports the community during
disasters or
emergencies.
* The Office of State Medical Examiners investigates causes of death that may endanger the
community
A community is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as place, norms, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given geographical area (e.g. a country, village, t ...
and uses this information to keep the public aware and safe.
* Environmental and Health Services Regulation licenses and regulates health professionals and monitors
beach
A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological sources, such as mollusc s ...
and
drinking water
Drinking water is water that is used in drink or food preparation; potable water is water that is safe to be used as drinking water. The amount of drinking water required to maintain good health varies, and depends on physical activity level, ...
quality.
* The State Laboratories support
scientific research
The scientific method is an empirical method for acquiring knowledge that has characterized the development of science since at least the 17th century (with notable practitioners in previous centuries; see the article history of scientific m ...
to detect
diseases
A disease is a particular abnormal condition that negatively affects the structure or function of all or part of an organism, and that is not immediately due to any external injury. Diseases are often known to be medical conditions that a ...
, protect the public from
terrorism
Terrorism, in its broadest sense, is the use of criminal violence to provoke a state of terror or fear, mostly with the intention to achieve political or religious aims. The term is used in this regard primarily to refer to intentional violen ...
threats health and use health evidence in crime investigations.
* Public Health Information provides information for the public to understand health
risks
In simple terms, risk is the possibility of something bad happening. Risk involves uncertainty about the effects/implications of an activity with respect to something that humans value (such as health, well-being, wealth, property or the environm ...
and make
healthy and safe choices.
* Community and Family Health and Equity develops programs to eliminate
health disparities
Health equity arises from access to the social determinants of health, specifically from wealth, power and prestige. Individuals who have consistently been deprived of these three determinants are significantly disadvantaged from health inequiti ...
by ensuring equal access, creating partnerships with the community and
healthcare
Health care or healthcare is the improvement of health via the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in people. Health care is delivered by health pro ...
facilities, promoting healthy
lifestyles
Lifestyle often refers to:
* Lifestyle (sociology), the way a person lives
* ''Otium'', ancient Roman concept of a lifestyle
* Style of life (german: Lebensstil, link=no), dealing with the dynamics of personality
Lifestyle may also refer to:
Bus ...
, and educating
citizens
Citizenship is a "relationship between an individual and a state to which the individual owes allegiance and in turn is entitled to its protection".
Each state determines the conditions under which it will recognize persons as its citizens, and ...
on public health issues.
* Infectious Disease and Epidemiology conducts disease surveillance, responds to outbreaks, and provides health
education
Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty ...
.
References
External links
Guide to the Department of Health Library recordsfrom the Rhode Island State Archives
1986-1987 Department of Health Division of Drug Control annual reportfrom the Rhode Island State Archives
State agencies of Rhode Island
State departments of health of the United States
Medical and health organizations based in Rhode Island
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