About the Duval County Health Department

About the
Duval County Health Department

Our Mission – Promote, protect and improve the health of all people in Greater Jacksonville, Florida

Our Vision – A healthier future for the people of Greater Jacksonville, Florida

Our Values –
Excellence: We achieve and maintain quality results and outcomes through continuous performance improvement and learning.

Commitment to Service: We dedicate ourselves to provide services unconditionally and without partiality.

Accountability: We take full responsibility for our behavior and performance.

Empowerment: We create a culture that encourages people to exercise their judgment and initiative in pursuit of organizational goals.

Integrity: Our guide for actions - which incorporates our commitment to honesty, fairness, loyalty and trustworthiness - is in the best interest of our customers and employees.

Respect: We recognize and honor the contributions of one another in our daily activities and create an environment where diversity is appreciated and encouraged.

Teamwork: We encourage active collaboration to solve problems, make decisions and achieve common goals.

The Duval County Health Department (DCHD) and the other 66 county health departments are part of the State of Florida’s Department of Health and today serves a population in Duval County of approximately 800,000 residents. From its early 1990’s size of 300 employees and a $13 million budget, to its current size of nearly 800 employees with a $45 million budget, the growth of DCHD has been phenomenal.

This growth is attributed to the hard work and dedication of many staff and community partners. Some of the many partnerships established by the DCHD, include the relationship with the University of Florida and Shands Jacksonville, University of North Florida College of Health, Jacksonville Children’s Commission, Healthy Families Jacksonville, Environmental Protection Agency, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry and others.

The DCHD has enhanced the image of our health centers and facilities, expanding to more spacious, state of the art facilities, situated throughout Jacksonville. In an effort to address the personal and environmental health issues more effectively, DCHD has involved the citizens of Jacksonville in various capacities, such as focus groups and advisory councils. We perceive our future role to be leaders and partners in a public health system of care to better meet the needs of Jacksonville.

City of Jacksonville Health Department, created in July of 1889.

Consolidation of City/County Government occurred in July 1968, creating a combined department with the county health officer serving concurrently as the Chief of the Health Division within the Health, Welfare and Bio-Environmental Services Department, City of Jacksonville

Current unit began operation in its present location at 515 West Sixth Street in 1972.

The Duval County Health Department formerly referred to as the Duval County Public Health Unit was created in October 1938 and was the 16th unit in the state to become part of the state-county system. Its formation was due to the efforts of a concerned Citizen's Committee headed by Mrs. Willie Bell. The new unit was to be the companion of the already existing City of Jacksonville Health Department, created in July of 1889. Kolbein K. Waering, M.D., was selected as the first Health Officer and he was joined by seven public health nurses, two sanitarians and one clerk at the headquarters on First and Market Streets.

Funding for the unit was shared by the Florida State Board of Health, the Board of County Commissioners, the United States Public Health Service, the Children's Bureau of Labor Department and the Works Progress Administration. The population of Duval County and Jacksonville in 1938 was approximately 176,000 people. After interim moves to 1050 Hendricks Avenue in 1945, to the County Courthouse and to 962 Main Street, the new unit began operation in its present location at 515 west Sixth Street in 1972. Consolidation of City/County Government occurred in July 1968, creating a combined department with the county health officer serving concurrently as the Chief of the Health Division within the Health, Welfare and Bio-Environmental Services Department, City of Jacksonville. Reorganization of the City/County health departments occurred in December 1987 resulting in the creation of a new combined position to serve as both the HRS Duval County Public Health Unit Director and as the Director of the Health, Welfare and Bio-Environmental Services, City of Jacksonville.