The Delaware Public Health District was organized in the early part of the 1900s after the flu pandemic, which killed more than 25 million people worldwide, with more than 500,000 dead in the United States. State government officials, following the flu pandemic and other serious health threats, realized the importance public health authority for health departments throughout Ohio is found in the Ohio Revised and Administrative Codes. These laws and codes created health departments in local governmental jurisdictions. Ohio law allows for the creation of county health departments (serving an entire county), city health departments (serving one governmental entity), and combined health districts (serving an entire county or portions of a county and at least one city). The Delaware Public Health District is a combined health district, serving Delaware County (except portions annexed to Westerville, Columbus, and Dublin), Delaware City and Powell.

The Delaware Public Health District is operated under the authority of state law and the adoption of local regulations and resolutions which are voted on by your board of health, following community input. The board of health employs the health commissioner and 80 fulltime and part-time employees, who are “dedicated to fostering, protecting and improving the health and the environment of our residents and our community.”

Click here for a look at a historical timeline of the Delaware Public Health District