Oklahoma State Department of Health
James M. Crutcher, M.D., M.P.H.
Commissioner
1000 N.E. 10th
Oklahoma City, OK 73117
Phone: 405/271-5600
www.health.state.ok.us

  • The functions of the Oklahoma State Department of Health follow the traditional role of public health to include health promotion, health surveillance, education, early disease detection, injury prevention and consumer protection.
  • Technical and administrative guidance as well as fiscal support are provided to a network of 69 county health departments from the central office located on the Oklahoma Health Center campus in Oklahoma City. These local county health departments are the support branches for Oklahoma's public health system. They serve an important role in their communities by linking individual health to community health.
  • The range of services provided Oklahomans through the Oklahoma State Department of Health include adolescent health, child abuse prevention, child guidance services, chronic disease prevention and intervention, communicable disease investigation and prevention, dental health, family planning services, immunizations, injury prevention, maternal and infant health, minority health, nutrition, sexually transmitted disease control, social work services, and WIC nutrition program for women, infants and children.
  • Numerous professions are licensed by the agency, including but not limited to: barbers, hearing aid dealers and fitters, professional counselors, marital and family therapists, and emergency medical services personnel.
  • The agency also provides institutional licensing for long-term care and related facilities, as well as hospitals. This institutional certifying authority allows for federal reimbursement (Medicare/Medicaid).
  • The agency is governed by the State Board of Health, which has nine members appointed by the Governor with Senate confirmation.
  • Public health programs conducted by the agency are funded by transfers of federal funds to state programs, state funds appropriated by the Oklahoma Legislature, local millage, and fees collected for service.