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 entity, Subnational entities, such as State (administrative division), states, county, counties an ...

serving Tacoma and Pierce County in the U.S. state of Washington. 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 and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

was considered by the Pierce County Council 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 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, 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 is often mistakenly equated with the absence of mental illness. However, mental health refers to a person's overall emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It influences how individuals think, feel, and behave, and how t ...

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

County government agencies in Washington (state) City and county health departments in the United States Medical and health organizations based in Washington (state) Pierce County, Washington Tacoma, Washington{{Health departments in the United States