Exhibit 4-4: Vital Statistics for Local Health Departments

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Definition


  • An administrative and service unit of local government, concerned with health, employing at least one full-time person, and carrying responsibility for health of a jurisdiction smaller than the state


Number


  • Approximately 3200 using above definition
  • Functional definition would reduce number considerably
  • Varies from none in Rhode Island to more than 100 in seven states



Jurisdiction Type


  • 62% single county
  • 7% multicounty
  • 10% city-county
  • 10% town/township
  • 8% city
  • 2% other



Size of Population



  • 10th percentile 7,200
  • 25th percentile 14,000
  • 50th percentile 30,000
  • 75th percentile 76,900
  • 90th percentile 202,400



Budget



  • 10th percentile $86,150
  • 25th percentile $239,700
  • 50th percentile $691,400
  • 75th percentile $2.8 million
  • 90th percentile $6.8 million




Source of Funds


  • 40% state (including federal pass through funds)
  • 34% local
  • 6% federal
  • 7% Medicaid
  • 3% Medicare
  • 7% fees
  • 3% other



Employees

(full time equivalents)



  • 10th percentile 2.3 FTE, 4 total
  • 25th percentile 6 FTE, 8 total
  • 50th percentile 16 FTE, 20 total
  • 75th percentile 49 FTE, 59 total
  • 90th percentile 129 FTE, 150 total
  • mean FTE = 72, total = 88
  • median FTE = 16


Governance


  • 81 percent of LHDs governed by local board of health
  • 82 percent of boards independent of legislative body

 



Leadership



  • one-half of local health officers are MDs
  • one-fourth of all local health officers have formal public health training
  • mean tenure 8 years; median tenure 6 years

Source: National Association of County and City Health Officials. Profile of Local Health Departments 1992-1993. Washington DC; NACCHO; 1995 and National Association of County and City Health Officials. Profile of Local Health Department 1996-1997 Data Set. Washington DC; NACCHO; 1997.


Exhibit 4-4 last revised on March 17, 2004 (epowell)