Protecting the Health of All Californians
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) works to protect the public’s health and shape positive health outcomes for individuals, families and communities. Public health is for everyone; not just in emergencies but in everyday life — from heart health and mental wellness to food safety and the prevention of infectious and chronic diseases. Our programs and services, in collaboration with local health departments, state, federal and private partners, touch the lives of every Californian and visitor, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Our Shared Vision​
Public health is not only the heart of California; it’s the heart of CDPH. From tracking diseases to empowering communities, we are dedicated to protecting and improving the well-being of all Californians and shaping a happy, healthy and safe state. We are dedicated public servants passionate about our work, and the people and communities we serve. Hear more of who we are and our vision by watching We Are CDPH (YouTube). ​
What We Do
Our collective efforts contribute to shaping healthier and more resilient communities. Watch Public Health Connects Us All (YouTube) for more on how public health touches every aspect of our lives. ​
CDPH’s fundamental responsibilities are broad and include:
- Chronic disease prevention and health promotion
- Emergency preparedness
- Environmental health
- Family health
- Food safety
- Health equity
- Infectious disease control and prevention
- Laboratory services
- Patient safety
- Vital records and statistics​
CDPH’s key activities and services include protecting people in California from the threat of preventable infectious diseases by educating and informing the public of effective ways to stay safe, like vaccines, masks, handwashing and other daily life choices. CDPH uses reliable and accurate public health laboratory services to inform the public about health threats.
However, public health affects daily lives in more ways than infectious disease prevention. Public health measures and services often aim to help people live longer and healthier lives. Other critical services include:
- Providing nutritional support to low-income families
- Screening newborns and pregnant women for genetic diseases
- Ensuring the safety of food and bottled water
- Eliminate tobacco-related health inequities​
- Preventing chronic diseases and conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, asthma and obesity
- Protecting patient safety in hospitals and skilled nursing facilities
- Maintaining birth and death certificates
- Preparing for and responding to public health emergencies
- Reducing health and mental disparities among vulnerable and underserved communities to achieve health equity throughout California.​
Mission
To advance the health and well-being of California’s diverse people and communities.
Vision
Healthy communities with thriving families and individuals.
Department & Services
The Center for Preparedness and Response (CPR)
CPR provides overall statewide planning and preparedness for public health disasters and emergencies, distributing and monitoring funding for disaster planning at the local level, operating the Medical Health Coordination Center, developing, and maintaining a standard public health and medical emergency management system for local and state entities. CPR programs include: Medical and Health Coordination (MHCC) Readiness Unit and CDPH Duty Officer (DO) Program.
Important Contact Information:
Center for Healthy Communities (CHC)
CHC provides the prevention and control of chronic diseases, to reduce the prevalence of obesity, reduce tobacco use and improve oral health. CHC provides training programs for public health workforce, promote and support safe and healthy environments in communities and workplaces, and prevent substance and gambling addiction. CHC programs include: chronic disease prevention and management, tobacco control, environmental health, occupational health, injury and violence prevention, oral health, and problem gambling.
Important Contact Information:
- California Tobacco Control Branch: (916) 449-5500
- California Lead Poisoning Prevention Branch: (510) 620-5600
- Chronic Disease Control Branch: (916) 552-9900
- Chronic Disease Surveillance and Research Branch: (916) 731-2500
- Environmental Health Investigations Branch: (510) 620-3620
- Environmental Health Laboratory Branch: (510) 620-2801
- Injury and Violence Prevention Branch: (916) 552-9800
- Nutrition and Physical Activity Branch: (916) 449-5400
- Occupational Health Branch: (510) 620-5757
- Office of Oral Health: (916) 440-7197
- Office of Problem Gambling: (916) 327-8611
- Office of School Health:
SafeSchoolsTeam@cdph.ca.gov
- Substance and Addiction Prevention Branch:
sapb@cdph.ca.gov​​
Center for Environmental Health (CEH)
CEH works to protect and improve the health of all California residents by utilizing investigation, inspection, laboratory, technical assistance, regulatory and/or emergency response activities to improve the safety of food, drugs, medical devices; conduct underage tobacco enforcement; oversee the use of radiation and radioactive materials; regulate medical waste; and conduct other environmental management programs.
Important Contact Information:
- Center for Environmental Health: (916) 445-0275
- Division of Food and Drug Safety: (916) 440-7880
- Division of Radiation Safety and Environmental Management: (916) 449-5915
- Environmental Health Support Section: (530) 760-5863
Center for Family Health (CFH)
CFH provides improvement to the health and well-being of pregnant people, children and youth as well as reduce disparities in perinatal health outcomes by providing nutritional support and screening newborns and pregnant women for genetic diseases. CFH programs include: Genetic Disease Screening Program, Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Division, and the Women, Infants, and Children Supplemental Nutrition Program.
Important Contact Information:
- Genetic Disease Screening Program: (866) 718-7915
- Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Division: (866) 241- 0395
- Women Infants and Children Supplemental Nutrition Program:(800) 852- 5770
Find a local WIC office.
Center for Health Care Quality (CHCQ)
CHCQ provides regulatory oversight and monitoring for the quality of care in public and private health facilities, clinics, and agencies throughout the state; licenses nursing home administrators, and certifies nurse assistants, home health aides, and hemodialysis technicians; and oversees the prevention, surveillance, and reporting of healthcare associated infections in California’s health facilities.
Important Contact Information:​
Find your nearest
Licensing and Certification district office​.
Center for Health Statistics and Informatics (CHSI)
CHSI provides improvement of public health by managing information systems and facilitating the collection, validation, analysis, and dissemination of health statistics and demographic information on California’s population.
Important Contact Information:
- Vital Records: (916) 445- 2684
- Medical Marijuana Identification Card Program: (916) 552-8600
Center for Infectious Diseases (CID)
CID provides the prevention and control of infectious diseases such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), tuberculosis, viral hepatitis, influenza and other vaccine preventable illnesses, emerging infections, vector-borne disease, sexually transmitted diseases (STD), infant botulism, and foodborne illnesses.
Important Contact Information:
- Division of Communicable Disease Control: (916) 552-9700
- Office of AIDS: (916) 449-5900
- Office of Binational Border Health:
OBBH@cdph.ca.gov
- Office of Refugee Health: (916) 552- 8252
- Guidance and Policy:
COVIDGP@cdph.ca.gov​
Center for Laboratory Science (CLS)
CLS provides oversight for clinical and public health laboratory operations and clinical and public health laboratory personnel and is responsible for issuing licenses and certificates.
Important Contact Information:
- Drinking Water and Radiation Laboratory Branch: (510) 620-2911
- Environmental Health Laboratory Branch: (510) 620-2801
- Food and Drug Laboratory Branch: (510) 412-6220
- Infant Botulism Treatment and Prevention Program:
IBTPP@infantbotulism.org​
- Laboratory Central Services: (510) 307-8980
- Laboratory Field Services: (510) 620-3800
- Microbial Diseases Laboratory Branch: (510) 412-3700
- Viral and Rickettsial Disease Laboratory: (510) 307-8585
Office of Health Equity (OHE)
OHE provides a key leadership role in advancing physical and mental health disparities in California. OHE works with communities and across sectors to address the root causes of health inequities, including but not limited to climate change and racial injustice, and to embed health and equity considerations into the decision-making process. OHE has three operational units: Community Development and Engagement, Health Equity Policy and Planning, and Health Research & Statistics.
Important Contact Information:
The Regional Public Health Office (RPHO)
RPHO provides for the allocation and implementation of more than 200 million dollars in local assistance funds to build a public health infrastructure in every corner of California. This investment is intended to fill in the gaps that were clearly seen during the COVID-19 emergency.
Important Contact Information:
Office of Legal Services (OLS)
OLS provides in-house legal analysis, advice, and representation to the Director of CDPH. It is also responsible for the enforcement of privacy requirements for the Department, and for compliance with requirements for the adoption of regulations.
Important Contact Information:
For service of summons and complaints and writ petitions:
Office of Compliance (OOC)
OOC provides the Workplace Violence Prevention Program, Equal Employment Opportunity Program, investigations of allegations related to workplace violence, discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, denials of reasonable accommodations and whistleblower. OOCs work also includes Internal Audit Program, internal and external audit activities, grant compliance reviews for Emergency Preparedness Office’s sub recipients, enterprise risk and compliance management activities, and liaison to all external auditing entities.
Important Contact Information:
Human Resources Division (HRD)
HRD provides guidance, support, and expertise to the department for recruitment, development, training, and retention of quality employees. HRD Disability Management Unit (DMU) coordinates free sign language interpretive services for CDPH employees and applicants upon request.
Important Contact Information:
- Human Resources Division: (916) 445-0983
- Disability Management Unit: DMU@cdph.ca.gov​
Office of Communications (COMMS)
COMMS provides strategic direction for internal and external communications for CDPH. COMMS is responsible for overseeing and approving all external communications, including the public facing website, internal facing website (myCDPH), social media channels, and media relations.
Important Contact Information:
California Conference of Local Health Officers (CCLHO)
CCLHO provides a state/local forum for the discussion of significant health issues to develop recommendations for appropriate health policy. Its various program committees consider technical and policy issues in communicable disease control and prevention; chronic disease and injury prevention; environmental health; health equity; and maternal, child and adolescent health.
Important Contact Information:
Office of Professional Development & Engagement (OPDE)
OPDE provides equitable access and promotes organizational excellent and empowerment to resources and development opportunities for CDPH staff, partners, and stakeholders. Our core functional areas include quality improvement, strategic planning, wellness, mentoring, employee recognition, training, leadership development, and accreditation. The Language Access Program Unit within OPDE centrally oversees all aspects of translation, interpretation, and multilingual communication support, ensuring efficient access to vital public health services for individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP).
Important Contact Information: