What is a local board of health?
Each local public health agency in North Carolina has a governing board that has responsibility for public health within its jurisdiction. What the board is called varies by agency: a county health department has a county board of health, a district health department has a district board of health, a public health authority has a public health authority board, and a consolidated human services agency has a consolidated human services board, which has responsibility for public health if the agency provides public health services.[1]
Each of these boards is charged with protecting and promoting the public health, and with serving as the policy-making, rule-making, and adjudicatory body for public health in the county or counties in its jurisdiction. The generic term "local board of health" embraces all of these types of boards when they are carrying out public health duties.[2] The composition of the different types of boards varies, but in general members represent county commissioners, professionals with expertise in health care or public health, and the general public. County commissioners play a role in the appointment of each type of board, but the specifics of the commissioners’ role varies by type of board. For more information about board membership and how appointments are made, see questions 4 through 9.
Any county may elect to abolish its local board of health and transfer the board’s powers and duties to the county commissioners.[3] When a county takes this action, the board of commissioners serves as the local board of health for the county.
[1] A consolidated human services agency (CHSA) may be composed of “any combination of commissions, boards, or agencies appointed by the board of county commissioners or acting under and pursuant to the authority of the county commissioners.” G.S. 153A-77(b)(3). The law specifies that a CHSA may include public health, but it is not required.
[2] This is consistent with statutory definitions and usage. G.S. 130A-2(4) defines "local board of health" to mean "a district board of health or a public health authority or a county board of health." G.S. 153A-77(d) gives consolidated human services boards the powers and duties of local boards of health, except when the statutes specifically provide otherwise.
[3] G.S. 153A-77(a). In the past, this option was available only to counties with populations exceeding 425,000. Legislation enacted June 29, 2012, removed the population threshold and extended the option to all counties. S.L. 2012-126.
