New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is the 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 New York City Board of Health is part of the department. Its regulations are compiled in title 24 of the New York City Rules. The current Acting commissioner is Dr. Michelle E. Morse. The New York State Department of Health, through the Public Health Law and State Sanitary Code, supervises and enforces statewide standards.

History

The department was initially set up as the Health Committee, a quasi-governmental public health group in response to a yellow fever outbreak in Philadelphia in 1793. Governor John Jay made a proclamation on 13 September 1793 to establish this to regulate the ports of the city and ensure proper quarantines. Three days later, the city, under the leadership of Mayor Richard Varick, created a tandem committee that ensured both private and commercial needs would be addressed. New York would see additional epidemics in 1795, 1796, 1798, 1799, and 1800, which lead to the creation of the 'New York City Board of Health', which held its first meeting in 1805.
In 1866, the New York State legislature enacted a bill establishing the 'Metropolitan Board of Health', consisting of the four Police Commissioners, four Health Commissioners appointed by the Governor, and the Health Officer for the Port of New York. In 1870, the legislature replaced the Board of Health with the Department of Health, with additional responsibilities including street cleaning and sanitary permits.
As of December 1894, Charles G. Wilson was serving as President of the Board of Health.

Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Alcoholism Services (1976-2002)

In 1976, a new department, titled the "Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Alcoholism Services" was established as distinct from the existing Department of Health.

Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

As a result of its consolidation with the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Alcoholism Services, it was renamed the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene on July 29, 2002. This merge was first proposed by Mayor Rudy Giuliani in 1998.
In 2021, Michelle E. Morse was named the first Chief Medical Officer of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. She is also currently the Acting Commissioner for the agency.

Organization

NYC is organized into 30 health districts, themselves composed of 354 health areas which are sets of census tracts. NYC is also organized into 17 mental health regions.
The departmental hierarchy is:

New York City Board of Health
Commissioner of Health
*General Counsel
*Chief Medical Examiner of the City of New York|Chief Medical Examiner]
*Executive Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer
**Deputy Commissioner for Mental Hygiene
***Alcohol and Drug Treatment
***Child and Adolescent Services
***Mental Health
***Developmental Disabilities
***Systems Strengthening and Access
**Deputy Commissioner for Disease Control
***Communicable Diseases
***HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control
***Immunization
***Public Health Laboratory
***STI 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
***Vital Statistics
***Public Health Training
***World Trade Center Health Registry
**Deputy Commissioner for Health Care Access and Improvement
***Correctional Health Services
***Primary Care Access and Planning
***Primary Care Information Project
***Information Technology Initiatives
**Deputy Commissioner for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
***Chronic Disease Prevention and Tobacco Control
***District Public Health Offices
***Maternal, Infant and Reproductive Health
***School Health
**Deputy Commissioner for Administration
**Deputy Commissioner for Finance
**Deputy Commissioner and Chief Information Officer
**Deputy Commissioner for Emergency Preparedness and Response

Public safety

The department employs its own security officers at 20 NYC Health and Mental Hygiene facilities. NYC DOHMH special officers have very limited peace officer authority in connection with special assignment of employment pursuant to New York State Criminal Procedure Law § 2.10 and DOHMH policies, the exercise of these powers are very limited to the employee's geographical area of employment and while such employee is working only. NYC DOHMH Special Officers are prohibited by state law from carrying a firearm.
The New [York City Police Department] is the primary law enforcement agency whose mission is to provide police patrol service and investigate all crimes that occur within New York City which includes all New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene facilities.

Board of Health

The New York City Board of Health is part of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and consists of the commissioner of the department, the chairperson of the department's Mental Hygiene Advisory Board, and nine other members appointed by the mayor.

Members	Titles	Appointed	Notes
Dave A. Chokshi	MD	August 4, 2020	Commissioner of Health of the City of New York.
Pamela S. Brier	MPH		Maimonides Medical Center .
Sixto R. Caro	MD		NYU School of Medicine clinical assistant professor; NYU Langone .
Joel A. Forman	MD		Icahn [School of Medicine at Mount Sinai] ; Mount Sinai Hospital affiliated.
Susan Klitzman	DrPH, MPH, CPH		CUNY Graduate [School of Public Health & Health Policy\|CUNY School of Public Health] .
Lynne D. Richardson	MD, FACEP		Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai ; Mount Sinai Hospital affiliated.
Gail B. Nayowith	MSW		1digit LLC .
Rosa M. Gil	DSW		Comunilife Inc. .
Karen B. Redlener	MS		Children's Health Fund executive .
Mitchell H. Katz	MD		NYC Health + Hospitals .