department of public health and environment
Local Health Services Unit  state board of health
6 CCR 1012-1 1014-6 
Job Description and Minimum Qualifications for public health administrator I and II director and Minimum Qualifications for Medical Officer
(For full-time organized Local Health Department serving population to 100,000)
1.1	General Statement of Duties:
(1) A public health director shall have the following duties:
(a)	Responsible for the a Administration of a full-time local health department county or district public health agency, which includes direction and supervision of all programs and activities and interprets and administers their purposes; 
(b)	Direction of all activities of the county or district public health agency and supervises all personnel;
(c)	administers administration of the enforcement of public health laws, rules and regulations; AND
(d)	performs or arranges  performance of or arrangement for medical services in public health clinics and school health programs.
Supervision Received:
(2)  A public health director works Works under the general policy direction of the local county or district board of health.
Supervision Exercised:
Directs all activities of the local health department and supervises all personnel.
Examples of Duties:
(Any one position may not include all of the duties listed, nor do the listed examples include all tasks which may be found in positions of this class)
(3)  the public health director may:
	(a)	Analyze health needs of the area by utilizing demographic and other statistical data;
	(b)	Perform special studies or surveys as indicated;
	(c )	Plan, direct, supervise and coordinate a wide variety of health programs including environmental, nursing, laboratory, chronic disease, dental health, occupational health, maternal and child health, communicable disease, vital statistics, alcohol and drug, veterinary public health and ,  health education, and emergency preparedness and response;
	(d)	Administer the personnel program for the department;
	(e)	Give or arrange for direct medical service such as immunizations, well child clinics, venereal sexually transmitted disease investigation and consultation, school health examinations and other clinic services;
	(f)	Work with practicing physicians and, other health care providers and interested community groups in planning and conducting programs;
	(g)	Direct a public information effort for the local health department county or district public health agency, including preparation of media materials and presentations, and presentation of programs to local health organizations and the general community;
	(h)	Prepare and administer the annual budget. Present the annual budget to the local county or district board of health, county commissioners and interested public;
	(i)	Direct the resources needed to carry out the county or district public health plan developed pursuant to C.R.S § 25-1-505;
	(j)	Disburse and administer, under the local county or district board of health, all federal, state and local property, services or moneys allocated to the department agency;
	(k)	Serve as local registrar of vital statistics or arrange for such service;
	(l)	Prepare proposed local orders, rules and regulations for consideration by the local county or district board of health;
	(m)	Administer and enforce the public health laws of pertaining to public health, air pollution, solid and hazardous waste, and water quality to the State of Coloradoextent authorized by the orders, rules, regulations and standards of the State Board of Health, AirQuality Control Commission, Water Quality Control Commission and the orders,provisions of title 25 or article 20 of title 30, C.R.S; rules and regulations of the local county or district board of health; and resolutions of the board of county commissioners;
	(n)	Hold hearings, administer oaths, subpoena witnesses and take testimony when required in performance of duty;
	(o)	Advise the local county or district board of health, county commissioners and other officials and voluntary agencies on issues relevant to public health;
	(p)	Serve as medical consultant to medical care programs or arrange for such professional consultation;
	(q)	Help coordinate voluntary and official public health programs;
	(r )	Act to protect the public health during natural disasters or enemy attack. Investigate and control epidemic diseases or arrange for such professional services; and
	(s)	Coordinate with the Colorado Department of public Health and environment.
(4)  a public health director position may not include all of the duties listed in subsection (3) above, nor is that list intended to include all duties that a public health director may be assigned.
1.2	Minimum Qualifications:
(1)  The following statement represents except as provided in section 1.3 of these rules, a public health director shall have the minimum experience and training standards set forth in subsections (2) or (3) of this section required by the State Board of Health.
(2)  A Physician Administrator Director candidate shall:
	(a)	be licensed to practice medicine in the state of colorado within six months of hire;
	(b)	have Graduation graduated from an approved medical school (MD or DO) and preferably be certified by  completion of an acceptable internship the American Board of Preventive Medicine or American Board of Osteopathic Preventive Medicine; AND
Two years within the past ten years of successful and responsible administrative or supervisory experience in a generalized public health program or its equivalent.
Successful completion of at least one academic year of graduate work in a recognized school pf public health or a master's degree in public health, public administration, health administration or a closely related discipline may be substituted for the required experience.
	(c )	have Five years within the past 10 years of successful and responsible administrative experience in public health or a closely related field, including at least two years experience in supervising public health professionals.
	(d)	a candidate with one year of graduate study in a recognized school of public health is preferred.
Necessary Special Requirements:
Licensed, or  or eligible for licensure, to practice medicine in the State of Colorado.
(3)	A Non-Physician Administrator Director candidate shall:
Four years within the past 10 years of successful and responsible administrative experience in public health or a closely related field, including at least two years experience in supervising public health professionals and a master's degree in public health, public administration, health administration or a closely related discipline. At the request of a local board of health, the Board may substitute exceptional experience for certain academic requirements or exceptional academic preparation for certain experience requirements when a candidate is otherwise prepared to carry out the duties of Public Health Administrator I.
	(a)	have a Master's degree, preferably in a public health discipline (environmental health, health education, epidemiology, health administration/policy, biostatistics, etc); nursing, public administration, health administration or a closely related discipline; and
	(b)	have five years within the past 10 years of successful and responsible administrative experience in public health or a closely related field, including at least two years experience in supervising public health professionals.
	(c )	a nurse candidate shall be licensed to practice in the state of colorado within six months of hire.
Necessary Special Requirements:
Consultation by a designated physician in matters of health and medical practice should be approved by the county board of health and be available at all times to the administrator.
	(d)	medical officer: if the public health director is not a licensed physician, a designated medical officer (advisor) shall be employed or contracted (paid or volunteer)  by the district or county board of health to advise the public health director on medical decisions and be available at all times to the Public Health director. The medical officer must be a Graduate from an approved medical school (MD or DO) and licensed to practice medicine in the State of Colorado
1.3  Waivers and Substitutions:
(1)  At the request of a county or district board of health, the State Board of Health may substitute exceptional experience for certain academic requirements or exceptional academic preparation for certain experience requirements when a candidate is otherwise prepared to carry out the duties of a public health director.
(2)  A county or district board of health may apply to the state board of health for a waiver of the minimum qualifications set forth in these rules. Beginning July 1, 2009, the state board of health shall consider the following when granting or denying a waiver request:
	(a)	 the county or district board of health can satisfactorily demonstrate to the State Board of Health reasons why a waiver is necessary;
	(b)	the population of the jurisdiction for the county or district served and its ability to recruit a qualified candidate; 
	(c) 	 whether the candidate for public health director will seek to obtain necessary minimum education and experience within five years of the waiver; and
	(d)	the county or district board of health can demonstrate that they have explored joining or establishing a district public health agency with a qualified public health director and provide reasons why such is not feasible.
(3)  Waivers shall be submitted to the State Board of Health for approval every five years if a public health director meeting the qualifications provided in section 1.2 of these rules has not been appointed.
(4)  Substitutions and waivers made before July 1, 2008 and approved as appropriate by the state board of health under 6 CCR 1012-1 will remain in effect.
PUBLIC HEALTH ADMINISTRATOR II
(For full-time organized Local Health Department serving population over 100,000).
General Statement of Duties:
Responsible for the administration of a large full-time local health department, which includes direction and supervision of all programs and activities and interprets and administers their purposes; administers the enforcement of public health laws, rules and regulations; performs or arranges for medical services in public health clinics and school health programs.
Supervision Received:
Works under the general policy direction of the local Board of Health.
Supervision Exercised:
Directs all activities of the local health department and supervises all personnel.
Examples of Duties:
(Any one position may not include all of the duties listed, nor do the listed examples include all tasks which may be found in positions in this class).
Analyze health needs of the area by utilizing demographic and other statistical data. Perform special studies or surveys as indicated. Plan, direct, supervise and coordinate a wide variety of health programs including environmental, nursing, laboratory, chronic disease, dental health, occupational health, maternal and child health, communicable disease, vital statistics, alcohol and drug, veterinary public health and health education.
Administer the personnel program for the department.
Give or arrange for direct medical services such as immunizations, well child clinics, venereal disease investigation and consultation, school health examinations and other clinic services.
Work with practicing physicians and other interested community groups in planning and conducting programs.
Direct a public information effort for local health department, including preparation of media materials and presentations, and presentation of programs to local health organizations and general community.
Prepare and administer the annual budget. Present the annual budget to the local board of health, county commissioners, and interested public.
Disburse and administer, under the local board of - health, all-federal, state and local property, services or moneys' allocated to the department. Serve as local registrar of vital statistics.
Prepare proposed local orders, rules and regulations for consideration by the local board of health.
Administer and enforce the public health laws of the State of Colorado; the orders, rules, regulations and standards of the State Board of Health, Air Quality Control Commission, Water Quality Control Commission and the orders, rules and regulations of the local board of health; and resolutions of the board of county commissioners.
Hold hearings, administer oaths, subpoena witnesses and take testimony when required in performance of duty.
Advise local board of health, county commissioners and other officials and voluntary egencies on issues relevant to public health.
Serve as medical consultant to medical care programs or arrange for such professional consultation.
Help coordinate voluntary and official health programs. Act to protect the public health during natural disasters or enemy attack. Investigate and control epidemic diseases or arrange for such professional services.
Coordinate with the Colorado Department of Health.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
The following statement represents the minimum experience and training standards required by the State Board of Health.
PHYSICIAN ADMINISTRATOR:
Graduation from an approved medical school and completion of an acceptable internship.
Successful completion of at least one academic year of graduate work in a recognized school of public health or have a master's degree in public health, public administration, health administration or a closely related discipline.
Two years within the past ten years of successful and responsible administrative or supervisory experience in a generalized public health program or its equivalent.
Necessary Special Requirements:
Licensed, or eligible for licensure, to practice medicine in the State of Colorado.
NON-PHYSICIAN ADMINISTRATOR:
Six years within the past 10 years of successful and responsible administrative experience in public health or a closely related field, including at least three years experience in supervising public health professionals and a master's degree in public health, public administration, health administration or a closely related discipline.
Necessary Special Requirements:
Consultation by a designated physician in matters of health and medical practice should be approved by the county board of health and be available at all times to the administrator.director.