What are the statutory differences between a consolidated human services director and a county or district health director?

The main differences relate to the appointment and qualifications of the director and the director’s powers and duties.

Appointment. A county or district health director is appointed by the local board of health after consultation with the county commissioners. A consolidated human services director is appointed by the county manager with the advice and consent of the consolidated human services board.

Qualifications: The directors of county health departments, district health departments, and public health authorities must meet the minimum education and experience requirements described in question 4. The law creating the position of consolidated human services director does not require any specific education or experience, but a consolidated human services director who does not satisfy the statutory qualifications for a local health director must appoint a person who does.[1] In addition, North Carolina’s standards for local public health agency accreditation specify that the agency’s governing board must appoint a local health director who meets the requirements of the law that applies to county and district health directors.[2]

Powers and duties. A consolidated human services director has all of the same statutory powers and duties of a county or district health director, with two limitations:

• the consolidated human services director’s hiring decisions must be approved by the county manager, and
• the consolidated human services director may serve as the executive officer of the agency only to the extent and in the manner authorized by the county manager.

A consolidated human services director also has duties that go beyond those of a traditional local health director, largely reflecting the consolidated human services director’s role as the chief administrator for human services programs other than public health.[3]