Arkansas Department of Health

Public Health Careers

If you want to become a part of a team that values the health and well-being of all Arkansans, we welcome you to review our jobs and apply by going to the ARCareers website  and choose “The Arkansas Department of Health” from the pull-down menu. You may contact us or download an application, print it out and fax, mail or deliver it to us.

Applicants can also complete applications in person by visiting our Employment Office at the address listed below between the hours of 8:00 am and 4:00 pm.

The Arkansas Department of Health is a drug-free workplace. All offers of employment are contingent upon applicants passing a drug test, including alcohol. Employees must submit to 'for cause" and random drug testing as a condition of continued employment.

Careers we offer:

Below is a list of some of the careers offered at the Arkansas Department of Health.

Benefits

Plan Review - Subdivision Plans

Requirements for Submission of Subdivision Plans

Complete and detailed plans and specifications shall be submitted for review and approval to the Engineering Section, Arkansas Department of Health.  Depending on the method of water supply and wastewater disposal proposed, review will be by the Engineering Section staff and/or Regional Environmental Health Program Specialist.

Submittals must include the following items.  Subdivisions on public water and individual sewage disposal system must meet both A and B including both review fees. 

A.   Subdivisions with public water and/or public sewer.

1. Vicinity map and legal description indication the location of the subdivision.
2. Layout of lot boundaries, street, easements, all topographical features, and flood level of the area.
3. Contour lines at 5 to 20 feet intervals shall be shown as relating to lot boundaries and the location of tests performed.
4. Dimensions of lots, streets, easements, etc., of the subdivision.
5. Detailed engineering plans and specifications for the water and/or sewer system prepared and stamped by an engineer licensed in the state of Arkansas.
6. A review fee of 1 percent of the estimated water and/or sewer cost is to be submitted with the plans.  The minimum fee is $50 and the maximum fee is $500.  A completed cost estimate sheet for the project is to be submitted with each project unless the maximum fee of $500 is paid in which case the cost estimate is not required.

B.  Subdivision Plans with individual wells and/or individual sewage disposal systems (septic tanks).

1. All subdivision plan review requirements outlined in the Rules and Regulations Pertaining to Onsite Wastewater Systems (Sections 5.9 through 5.11) must be addressed.
2. The addresses of all parties to receive copies of subdivision correspondence must be provided, along with three copies of the plans and specifications.
3. A subdivision review fee is required for all plans submitted.  The fee is $100.00 for the first lot and $25.00 for each additional lot with a maximum fee of $1500.00.  A completed cost estimate sheet must be provided.
4. Review will be by the Regional Environmental Program Specialist assigned to the region in which the subdivision is located and who will verify the data submitted. 

All items listed within these guidelines must be included in the plans and specifications. For additional information, contact the Environmental Health Specialist located at your County Health Unit, or the Engineering Section at the contact information below.

Resources

• Submit Plan Online
• Cost Estimate Sheet
• Rules and Regulations Pertaining to Onsite Wastewater Systems
• Septic Tank Manufacturers

Projects Reviewed by Engineering

Submit Plans Online

Subdivisions

• Public Water & Public Sewer
• Public Water & Individual Sewage Disposal System
  Reviewed in cooperation with Environmental Health Protection colleagues
• Private Water & Individual Sewage Disposal System
  Reviewed by Environmental Health Protection colleagues

Water and Wastewater Facilities

• New public water systems and sewer systems
• New water system sources
• Expansion or extension of existing facilities
• Spring sources for bottled water

Swimming, Spray, and Wading Pools

• Public
• Semi-public
  Reviewed by Environmental Health Protection colleagues

Cemeteries

• Family
• Church
• Perpetual care operations

Mobile Home Parks

• New mobile home parks
• Expansion or extension of existing mobile home parks

Contact Information

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

Compliance with Act 1653 of 2001

The “Arkansas Freedom of Information Act” (FOIA). Section 3 of Act 1653 requires each state agency, board and commission to prepare and make available certain information to the public, including the agency’s method of operations, records the agency maintains and certain regulations, rules of procedure and policies adopted by the agency. The required information for the ADH is on this website. Many of the records may not be available for public inspection under the FOIA because they are exempt from disclosure under that Act or other state or federal law.

• The Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) allows the public (“citizens”) to inspect and receive copies of public records of governmental agencies unless the law makes an exception for them.  The law also requires that most meetings of “governing bodies” be open to the public. 
•  Medical Records and Vital Records are not open for release under the FOIA.  There are several other exemptions to the FOIA.

Requesting Records

In accordance with Act 1653 of 2001, citizens of Arkansas may request access to public records from ADH in person, by telephone, mail, facsimile transmission or e-mail, utilizing the addresses and numbers listed below.

Contact

Reginald Rogers
Arkansas Department of Health
4815 West Markham Street
Little Rock Arkansas, 72205  
501-661-2609 | phone
501-661-2357 | fax

Resources

• Freedom of Information
• FOIA Handbook
• Introduction to FOIA

If you have media inquiries, please contact the Office of Health Communications.

Arkansas State Board of Health

Act 96 of 1913 established the Arkansas State Board of Health. 

Board of Health members are appointed by the Governor and represent many organizations and professions concerned with public health. See Ark. Code Ann. § 20-7-102.

The Board is empowered to make all necessary and reasonable rules of a general nature for: protection of the public health and safety, general improvement of the sanitary and hygienic conditions within the state, suppression, and prevention of infectious, contagious, and communicable diseases, proper enforcement of quarantine, isolation, and control of such diseases and proper control of chemical exposures that may result in adverse health effects to the public.

• State Board of Health Members

Resources

• FOIA Information
• Bylaws

Quarterly Meetings

Meetings are held quarterly on the fourth Thursday of the month.

The Board may change the date of the meeting by majority vote.

County Health Officers

A County Health Officer, nominated by the County Judge and appointed by the State Board of Health, serves in each of Arkansas’ 75 counties. The County Health Officer serves as a key public health representative in the local community, promoting the use of local health unit services, advocating for public health policy initiatives with local and state policy makers, and providing assistance to local public health education and promotion initiatives.

The County Health Officer also aids and assists the State Board of Health and collaborates with the State Health Officer and the Department of Health in county emergency preparedness response and planning including implementing orders of the State Health Officer if isolation, quarantine, or emergency legal measures are required.

The County Health Officer participates in the development and review of local emergency plans and serves as a local spokesperson to the media, general public, and medical community in the event of a public health emergency.

• County Health Officers in Arkansas

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Notice

This information describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information.

The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) is committed to protecting your health information.  This Notice is to inform you about our privacy practices and legal duties related to the protection of the privacy of your medical/health records that we create or receive.  

How we may use and disclose medical information about you?

ADH staff will only use your health information when doing their jobs.  The purposes of the use and sharing of health information are for treatment, payment for services and for Agency operations. 

• Treatment:  Caregivers, such as nurses, doctors, therapists, nutritionists and social workers, may use your health information to determine your plan of care.  Individuals and programs within the ADH may share health information about you in order to coordinate the services you may need, such as clinical examinations, therapy, nutritional services, medications, hospitalization, or follow-up care.  
• Payment:  The ADH may release information about you to Medicaid, Medicare, your health plan or health insurance carrier to obtain payment for our services.  For example, we may need to give your health plan information about a clinical exam or vaccinations that you or your child received so your health plan or Medicaid or Medicare will pay us for treatment or services.  
• Operations:  The ADH may use and release information about you to ensure that the services and benefits provided to you are appropriate and are high quality.  For example, we may use your information to evaluate our treatment and service programs (quality assurance).  We may combine health information about many individuals to research health trends, to determine what services and programs should be offered, or whether new treatments or services are useful.  We may share your health information with business partners who perform functions on behalf of the ADH.  For example, our business partners may use your information to perform case management, coordination of care, or other assessment activities.  The ADH requires that our business partners abide by the same level of confidentiality and security as ADH when handling your health information. 

Other uses, sharing of health information or disclosures of health information required or allowed by law include: 

• To Other Government Agencies Providing Benefits or Services:  The ADH may release your health information to other government agencies that are providing you with benefits or services when the information is necessary for you to receive those benefits and services. 
• To Keep You Informed:  The ADH may contact you about reminders for treatment, medical care or health check-ups.  We may also contact you to tell you about health related benefits or services that may be of interest to you. 
• For Public Health:  The ADH may release your health information to other programs within the ADH as it relates to public health, subject to the provisions of applicable state and federal law, for the following kinds of activities:
  • To prevent or control disease, injury or disability or to keep vital statistics records such as births and deaths. 
  • To notify social services agencies that are authorized by law to receive reports of abuse, neglect or domestic violence. 
  • To report reactions to medications or problems with products to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 
• For Health Oversight Activities:  The ADH may share your health information with other programs within the ADH and with other agencies for oversight activities as required by law.  Examples of these oversight activities include audits, inspections, investigations, and licensure.  
• For Law Enforcement:  The ADH may release health information to a law enforcement official, subject to applicable federal and state law and regulations, for purposes that are required by law or in response to a court order or subpoena. 
• For Research:  The ADH may release your health information for research projects that have been reviewed and approved by an institutional review board or privacy board to ensure the continued privacy and protection of the health information. 
• Lawsuits and Disputes:  If you are involved in a lawsuit or a dispute, the ADH may release health information about you in response to a court or administrative order.  We may also release health information about you in response to a subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process by someone else involved in the dispute, but only if efforts have been made to tell you about the request or to obtain an order protecting the information requested. 
• To Coroners, Medical Examiners and Funeral Directors:  The ADH may release health information to a coroner, medical examiner or funeral director, as necessary to carry out duties as authorized by law. 
• For Organ Donations:  If you are an organ donor, the ADH may release your health information to an organization that procures, banks, or transports organs for the purpose of an organ, eye or tissue donation and transplantation. 
• To Avert A Serious Threat to Health or Safety:  The ADH may release your health information if it is necessary to prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or to the health and safety of the public or another person.  
• For National Security and Protection of the President:  The ADH may release your heath information to an authorized federal official or other authorized persons for purposes of national security, for providing protection to the President, or to conduct special investigations, as authorized by law. 
• To a Correctional Institution:  If you are an inmate of a correctional institution or under the custody of a law enforcement officer, the ADH may release your health information to the correctional institution or law enforcement officer.  The information released must be necessary for the institution to provide you with health care, protect your health and safety or the health and safety of others, or for the safety and security of the correctional institution. 
• To the Military:  If you are a veteran or a current member of the armed forces, the ADH may release your health information as required by military command or Veteran Administration authorities. 

If you do not object and the situation is not an emergency and disclosure is not otherwise prohibited by stricter laws, the ADH is permitted to release your information under the following circumstances:   

• To Individuals Involved In Your Care:  The ADH may release your health information to a family member, other relative, friend, or other person whom you have identified to be involved in your health care or the payment of your health care. 
• To Family:  The ADH may use your information to notify a family member, a personal representative, or a person responsible for your care, of your location, general condition, or death. 
• To Disaster Relief Agencies:  The ADH may release your health information to an agency authorized by law to assist in disaster relief efforts. 

Your Health Information Rights

Release of your information outside of the boundaries of ADH-related treatment, payment, or operations, or as otherwise permitted by state or federal law, will be made only with your specific written authorization.  Your specific written authorization is required to release the following types of information: Drug and Alcohol Abuse, Family Planning, HIV/AIDS, Mental Illness, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program.  You may revoke specific authorizations to release your information, in writing, at any time.  If you revoke an authorization, we will no longer release your health information to the authorized recipient(s), except to the extent that the ADH has already used or released that information in reliance of the original authorization. 

In addition, you have the following rights regarding the health information that the ADH has about you:  

• Right to Inspect and Copy:  You may request to inspect or have a copy of any part of your health record.  We may charge a fee for the costs of copying, mailing, or other supplies associated with your request. 
• Right to Request Amendment:  If you feel that the health information the ADH has created about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to amend that information.  The ADH may deny your request if you ask to amend information that: 1) was not created by the ADH; 2) is not part of the health information kept by the ADH; 3) is not part of the information which you would be permitted to inspect or copy; or 4) the information is determined to be accurate and complete. 
• Right to Request an Accounting of Health Information Releases:  You may request an accounting of disclosures of your health information.  The accounting does not include disclosures for purposes of treatment, payment, health care operations; disclosures required by law for purposes of national security; disclosures to jails or correctional facilities, authorized disclosures, and any disclosures made prior to April 14, 2003. 
• Right to Request Restrictions:  You may request ADH to limit the use or disclosure of your health information except for treatment, payment, and health care operations.  ADH is not required by law to agree to your request. 
• Right to Request Confidential Communication:  You may request, in writing, that ADH communicate with you in a different way or to a different location, for example, using a different mailing address or calling you at a different phone number. 
• Right to a Paper Copy of this Privacy Notice:  You may request a paper copy of this Privacy Notice from ADH at any time.  

All requests for inspecting, copying, amending, making restrictions, or obtaining an accounting of your health information and any questions regarding this Privacy Notice must be directed to the Local Health Unit Hometown Health Leader.

Complaints

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with the ADH by contacting: 

Privacy Officer 
Arkansas Department of Health
ADH.PrivacyOfficer@arkansas.gov
(501) 537-1290

Or with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services by calling them at 877-696-6775 or writing them at 200 Independence Ave. S.W., Washington, DC, 2020l.

Or with the Office of Civil Rights by calling 866-OCR-PRIV (866-627-7748), or 886-788-4989 TTY. 

Changes to Privacy Notice

The ADH reserves the right to revise this Privacy Notice effective for health information the ADH already has about you as well as any information received in the future. We will provide you with a copy of the revised Privacy Notice at your next visit following the effective date of the revised Privacy Notice. In addition, you may ask for a copy of our current Privacy Notice any time you visit an ADH facility for treatment or health care services. 

You may request translation or reading of this Privacy Notice. When possible, a written translation will be provided. 

Wastewater Installers

To find designated representatives authorized to maintain and install septic systems in Arkansas, filter by first name, last name, telephone number or county to narrow results.

Contact Us

Click the office name below to email or access online forms. 

If you are unable to find what you are looking for, use our Online Contact Form.

You may also call the Arkansas Department of Health main number at 501-661-2000.

Recent Final Rules

• Alcohol Testing
• Arkansas Kidney Disease Commission
• Controlled Substances List
• Critical Access Hospitals
• Declaratory Orders
• Free Standing Birthing Center
• Home Health
• Hospice
• Hospitals and Related Institutions
• Interpreters
• Onsite Wastewater
• Reportable Diseases
• Retail Food Establishments
• State Board of Sanitarians
• Volunteer Health Care Professional Immunity

Proposed Repeal of Rules

Repeal of Abortion Facilities Rules

• Mark up Rule
• Notice
• Financial Impact

Proposed New Rules

Youth Injury Mitigation and Information Courses

• Mark up Rule
• Notice
• Financial Impact
• Public Comment

Proposed Amendments to Existing Rules

Newborn Screening

• Mark up Rule
• Clean Rule
• Notice
• Financial Impact
• Summary

Onsite Wastewater Systems

• Mark up Rule
• Clean Rule
• Notice
• Financial Impact
• Summary

Orthotic, Prosthetic, and Pedorthic Providers

• Mark up Rule
• Clean Rule
• Notice
• Financial Impact
• Summary

Perfusionist

• Mark up Rule
• Clean Rule
• Notice
• Financial Impact
• Summary

Prescription Drug Monitoring Program

• Mark up Rule
• Clean Rule
• Notice
• Financial Impact
• Summary

Radiation Control

• Mark up Rule | Part II | Part III
• Proposed Changes
• Notice
• Financial Impact
• Summary

Radiologic Technology Licensure

• Mark up Rule
• Clean Rule
• Notice
• Financial Impact
• Summary

Repeal of Abortion Facilities Rules

• Mark up Rule
• Notice
• Financial Impact

Secretary’s Message

Welcome to the Department of Health web site. I hope that you find our web site a helpful resource – one that provides you with a better understanding of public health. 

Public health touches the lives of everyone in our state. It has a key role in protecting and improving the health of Arkansans. In fact, public health measures have been responsible for many of the major improvements in the health of Arkansans. Controlling epidemics, ensuring safe food and water, and maternal and child health services are a few of the public health activities that have improved our quality of life. 

Many of our services are provided at the local level through a statewide service network. Our public health workforce is working every day to promote prevention services and to defend against threats to the public’s health. "Keeping Your Hometown Healthy" is more than a slogan for us.

I hope you find what you are looking for here and will add our web site to your list of favorites. Technology can help us be better informed about your needs. Please give us your suggestions and ideas for improvement.

Renee Mallory, RN, BSN
Secretary of Health

Southeast

DO NOT DELETE.  THIS IS PULLING IN THE SOUTHEAST TEMPLATE FOR LOCAL HEALTH UNITS.

Central

DO NOT DELETE.  THIS IS PULLING IN THE CENTRAL TEMPLATE FOR LOCAL HEALTH UNITS.

Northeast

Southwest

DO NOT DELETE.  THIS IS PULLING IN THE SOUTHWEST TEMPLATE FOR LOCAL HEALTH UNITS.

Local Health Units

Northwest

Health Units

About ADH

Mission Statement: To protect and improve the health and well-being of all Arkansans.

Vision Statement: Optimal health for all Arkansans to achieve maximum personal, economic and social impact.

What is public health? One definition – from a 1988 report by the Institute of Medicine’s “The Future of Public Health” – is this: “Public health is the science and the art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and organizing community efforts to do the following: keep the environment clean, control communicable infections, educate individuals in personal hygiene (like hand washing for example), organize medical and nursing services for the early diagnosis and treatment of disease, and develop the social machinery to ensure everyone a healthy standard of living.”

To say that another way, public health is everything the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) does to protect and improve the health and well-being of all Arkansans – more than 100 services provided statewide by public health professionals to assure that your water is safe, your children have their immunizations, your restaurants are safe and your birth certificate is correct – to name just a few.

The ADH is a unified health department, with a main office in Little Rock and 94 local health units in each of the state’s 75 counties. We have Centers that oversee all that we do.

• The Center for Health Advancement has among its many branches Chronic Disease, Tobacco Prevention and Control, Family Health, Women Infants and Children (WIC), and Oral Health.
• The Center for Health Protection has branches for Infectious Disease, Preparedness and Emergency Response, and Health Systems.
• The Center for Local Public Health is at the heart of the department. Our local health units provide services to communities across the state. Our Hometown Health Improvement Initiative is a process that takes a close look at the issues in local communities. It is coordinated through our local health units in partnership with community stakeholders. Through this collaboration, health strategies are developed and implemented to improve these local health issues.
• The Center for Public Health Practice includes branches for Vital Records, Health Statistics, and Epidemiology, our “disease detectives” who track the spread of communicable diseases like mumps, measles and chicken pox.

In addition, our Public Health Laboratory tests and reports on samples from all over the state – water samples, human samples for disease, even samples for rabies. This state-of-the-art laboratory is prepared for a pandemic flu or a bioterrorist event, as well.

Supporting the various service programs throughout ADH is Administration, which includes finance, human resources, information technology, legal, minority health, community support, health communication and marketing, tobacco prevention and cessation, policies and procedures and facilities support.

The mission of the Department is to protect and improve the health and well-being of all Arkansans. We do this with the support of over 2,100 dedicated employees and public and private partners. All employees in our diverse workforce are expected to exemplify professionalism in everything they do. They are passionate about what they do, because they are making a difference by helping people make their lives healthier.

You may review a directory of agency contacts here.

ADH Strategic Plan FY2018-19

All state agencies were asked by Governor Hutchinson to prepare a two-year strategic plan to cover the period encompassing FY2018-2019. The plan presented by the Arkansas Department  of Health (ADH), and approved by the Governor, is an adaptation of a four-year plan ADH began in January 2016. The goal areas in the two-year plan include the original six goal areas of Childhood Obesity, Hypertension, Immunizations, Mental and Community Wellness, Teen Pregnancy, and Tobacco Use, but also include a new goal area on Efficiency and Responsiveness. The new goal area is in response to the Governor’s request that specific operational objectives be included in addition to the health issues already prioritized for focused effort. It should be noted that the two-year objectives may differ slightly from the original four-year objectives as baseline data has been updated to reflect the current status and different metrics may have been determined to provide better data. Objectives listed are those which are receiving priority focus during this two-year period and may have been modified from the original.

ADH is also accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB), the national accrediting body for public health agencies, and has to meet specific five-year requirements including a state health assessment and continuous quality improvement (CQI) plan in order to maintain accreditation. The Arkansas Department of Health is currently in year two of a five year accreditation cycle and will be implementing a CQI program that utilizes tools and training appropriate for public health programs at all levels of the department.

Click HERE to view and print the ADH Strategic Plan FY2018-19

Rules

The State Board of Health is empowered to make all necessary and reasonable rules of a general nature for the protection of the public health and safety; for the general amelioration of the sanitary and hygienic conditions within the state; for the suppression and prevention of infectious, contagious, and communicable diseases; for the proper enforcement of quarantine, isolation, and control of such diseases; and for the proper control of chemical exposures that may result in adverse health effects to the public. The Department of Health is the state agency responsible for implementing the Board's rules.

The Board updates its rules on a continuing basis. The Board must follow the Administrative Procedure Act ("APA") to amend, repeal or adopt a rule. 

An essential part of the APA allows the public to comment on any rule being amended, repealed, or proposed, and the Board values your comments and questions.

Please see the Final Rules Table of Contents to view the Board's current rules.

Rules Currently Being Amended, Repealed, or Promulgated

Emergency Rules

Proposed Amendments to Existing Rules

Proposed New Rules 

Proposed Repeal of Rules

Recent Final Rules

Repealed Rules

Resources

Bed Bugs
Blood Pressure for Professionals
Blood Pressure for Patients and the Public
Cancer
CDC
Clean Indoor Air
Communicable Diseases
Communications: ADH Brochure | ADH Guide to Programs & Services | ADH Helpful Numbers
Community Health
Cross Connection
Diabetes
Drinking Water Lead Results
EEO Utilization Report
Emergency Medical Services
Environmental Health Forms and Guidelines
Fish Advisory Fact Sheets
Food Protection
General Sanitation
Heart Disease
Home Visiting
Hometown Health
Household Sharps Disposal Guidance
Infant Hearing
Immunizations
Injury and Violence Prevention
Medical Marijuana
Mold Cleanup Guidance
Mold Facts in Indoor Environments
Milk Program
Minority Health
Newborn Screening - Fact Sheets for Parents
Newborn Screening - Resources for Families
Nutrition and Healthy Eating
Onsite Wastewater
Oral Health
Ozone Action Days
Pharmacy Services & Drug Control
Physical Activity
Poison Resources
Public Water Plan Review Guidance and Forms
Rural Health
Radiologic Technology Continuing Education
Radon Gas
Safe Swimming
Saline County Resource Directory
STD Prevention
Stroke
Swim Beach/Marine Sanitation
Swimming Pool Program
Tattoo and Body Art Resources
Tobacco Cessation
Trauma System
Vaccines for Children
Water Operator Certification
Water System Consumer Confidence Reports
Water System Forms
Worksite Wellness
Zika

Resources and Publications

• Rules
• Publications
• Resources

• ADH Home
• Accessibility Policy
• Privacy Policy
• Disclaimer
• ADH HIPAA

© 2017 Arkansas Department of Health. All Rights Reserved. www.healthy.arkansas.gov
4815 W. Markham, Little Rock, AR 72205-3867
1-800-462-0599

For information, inquiries, feedback and comments contact us.