New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH) is a department of the Government of New York City responsible for public health along with issuing birth certificates, dog licenses, and conducting restaurant inspection and enforcement. The current commissioner is Thomas Farley, MD, MPH.^[1]

History

The department was initially set up as the New York City Board of Health, which held its first meeting in 1805 to combat an outbreak of yellow fever.^[2]

According to an online news story article by Sarah Kugler of the Associated Press that appeared on Friday, October 8, 2010, on the national news page of the Peoria Journal Star's website, "Using food stamps to buy sodas, teas, sports drinks, and other sugar-sweetened beverages would not be allowed in New York City under a new government effort to battle obesity. Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Gov. David Paterson announced Thursday that they are seeking permission from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administers the nation's food stamp program, to add sugary drinks to the list of prohibited goods for city residents receiving assistance. If approved, it would be the first time an item would be banned from the federal program based solely on nutritional value." The article noted the idea has unsuccessfully been tried before in 2004 in Minnesota and in 2008 in Maine, and that the USDA was considering the matter and its implications for the long-running program.

Organization

• Metropolitan Board of Health
• Commissioner of Health
  • General Counsel
  • Chief Medical Examiner
  • Executive Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer
    • Executive Deputy Commissioner for Mental Hygiene
      • Alcohol and Drug Treatment
      • Child and Adolescent Services
      • Mental Health
      • Developmental Disabilities
    • Deputy Commissioner for Disease Control
      • Communicable Diseases
      • HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control
      • Immunization
      • Public Health Laboratory
      • STD Prevention and Control
      • Tuberculosis Control
    • Deputy Commissioner for Environmental Health
      • Environmental Disease Prevention
      • Environmental Emergency Preparedness and Response
      • Environmental Sciences and Engineering
      • Environmental Surveillance and Policy
      • Food Safety and Community Sanitation
      • Poison Control Center
      • Veterinary and Pest Control
    • Deputy Commissioner for Epidemiology
      • Epidemiology Services
      • Public Health Training
    • Deputy Commissioner for Healthcare Access and Improvement
      • Correctional Health Services
      • Forensic and Behavioral Health Services
      • Health Insurance Programs
      • Oral Health
    • Deputy Commissioner for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
      • Chronic Disease Control
      • District Public Health Program
      • Maternal, Infant and Reproductive Health
      • Minority Health
      • School Health
      • Tobacco Control
    • Deputy Commissioner for Administration
    • Deputy Commissioner for Finance and Planning
    • Deputy Commissioner and Chief Information Officer
    • Deputy Commissioner for Emergency Preparedness and Response

See also

• New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation
• Metropolitan Board of Health

References

1. ^ New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene website, accessed 25 March 2009
2. ^ New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene website, accessed 2nd December 2008

External links

• Website of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene