Domain 6 Description

Utilize legal and regulatory actions designed to improve and protect the public’s health

Domain 6 focuses on the role of public health departments in enforcing and fostering compliance with public health related regulations, executive orders, statutes, and other types of public health laws. Public health laws are key tools for health departments as they work to promote and protect the health of the population. Health department responsibilities related to public health laws do not start or stop with enforcement. Health departments have a role in educating regulated entities about the meaning, purpose, compliance requirements, and benefit of public health laws. Health departments also have a role in educating the public about laws and the importance of complying with them.

Public health laws influence the health of the entire population, such as environmental public health (e.g., food sanitation, lead inspection, drinking water treatment, clean air, waste-water disposal, and vector control), infectious disease (e.g., outbreak investigation, immunizations, infectious disease reporting requirements, quarantine, tuberculosis enforcement, and STI contact tracing), chronic disease (e.g., sales of tobacco products to youth, smoke-free ordinances, and adoption of bike lanes), and injury prevention (e.g., seat belt laws, helmet laws, speeding limits, and harm reduction).

The term “laws” as used in The Standards refers to ALL types of statutes, regulations, rules, executive orders, ordinances, case law, and codes that are applicable to the jurisdiction of the health department.

DOMAIN 6 INCLUDES ONE STANDARD:

Standard 6.1: Promote compliance with public health laws.