Under Minnesota Statute 145 A, Community Health Boards have the authority and responsibility to provide public health services. These services include the core public health functions found within the six areas of public health responsibility.
Core Functions of Public Health
All of the following three core functions include research for new insights and innovative solutions to health problems.
Assessment
“Knowing what needs to be done”
- Monitor health status to identify community health problems.
- Diagnose and investigate problems and health hazards in the community.
Policy Development/Planning
“Being part of the solution”
- Inform, educate and empower people about health issues.
- Mobilize community partnerships to identify and solve health problems.
- Develop policies and plans that support individual and community health efforts.
Assurance
“Making sure things happen”
- Enforce laws and regulations that protect health and ensure safety.
- Link people to needed personal health care services and assure the provision of health care when otherwise unavailable.
- Assure a competent public health and personal health care workforce.
- Evaluate effectiveness, accessibility and quality of personal and population-based health services.
Six Areas of Public Health Responsibility
The six “areas of public health responsibility” are:
- Assure an adequate local public health infrastructure.
- Promote healthy communities and healthy behaviors.
- Prevent the spread of infectious disease.
- Protect against environmental health hazards.
- Prepare for and respond to disasters, and assist communities in recovery.
- Assure the quality and accessibility of health services.
This set of essential activities should be available to Minnesota residents, no matter where in the state they live. The essential local activities are the “what” all local health departments do.
