Creating a Legacy of Health Together

The Monterey County Health Department exists to enhance, protect and improve the health of the people in Monterey County. To accomplish this, the Department provides a wide variety of health-related services in the areas of public health, environmental health, behavioral health and clinic services.

The Health Department has four Strategic Goals*:

• Empower the community to improve health
• Enhance public health and safety through prevention
• Ensure access to culturally and linguistically appropriate, customer friendly, quality health services
• Engage Health Department workforce and improve operational functions to meet current and developing population health needs

Our Core Values

Integrity – We conduct our work in a trustworthy and dependable manner.

Respect – We value the strengths, experiences, and perspectives of others.

Innovation – We search for creative solutions, manage resources wisely, and lead the way.

Health Equity – We cultivate activities, programs, and policies that equalize opportunities for communities to be healthy.

Excellence – We promote quality outcomes through learning and continuous performance improvement

Who we are

The Monterey County Health Department has roots in prior centuries, but its modern history began in the 1920s with its establishment as a separate County department. Today the department serves over 415,000 Monterey County residents with a broad range of health care and promotion services through its nearly 1,000 employees organized in 8 Bureaus:

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Administration Bureau

Provides Budget and Finance, Human Resources, Planning/Evaluation/Policy, Information Technology, and Facilities functions in addition to oversight of the six other Bureaus.

Animal Services Bureau

In partnership with Salinas City Animal Services, the Animal Services Bureau formed Hitchcock Road Animal Services.  Services provided include animal control, animal licensing, pet adoption and shelter as well as other projects. 

Behavioral Health Bureau

Links County residents who have mental health and addictive disorders to a continuum of behavioral health interventions such as inpatient hospitalization, crisis interventions, recovery programs, prevention services, supportive housing, wellness centers, and outpatient services

Clinic Services Bureau

Operates seven FQHC look-alike clinics providing comprehensive primary medical care, health promotion education and disease prevention services regardless of the patient’s ability to pay.

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Agency

Works with partners to provide medical care to pre-hospital emergency patients by maintaining an EMS system, paramedic/ambulance franchise, EMS training programs, and preparing disaster plans. This division plans, coordinates and evaluates emergency medical services to ensure that emergency medical care is available and consistent at the emergency scene, during transport and in the emergency room.

Environmental Health Bureau

Educates the public and enforces federal, state and local statutes covering consumer health, drinking water, environmental health reviews, hazardous materials, recycling and resources recovery, and solid waste management. This Bureau also oversees the Animal Services Program which includes education, protection, licensing, adoption, and spay/neuter services.

Public Health Bureau

Includes Children’s Medical Services; Disease Prevention and Control; Public Health Laboratory; Women, Infants, and Children’s Program; Nutrition Services; and Regional Health Teams which conduct Case Management and Home Visits related to health needs. Programs in the Bureau cover several essential public health services, including surveillance, disaster preparedness, diagnosing and addressing health problems, outreach and education, and mobilizing community partnerships to identify and solve health problems.

Public Administration/Public Guardian

Controls and safeguards all property subject to loss, injury, waste, or misappropriation of Monterey County residents who died without leaving a will or apparent heirs, and also acts as a Representative Payee for Monterey County Residents who are incapable of managing their public entitlement benefits on their own behalf.

* As described in the Health Department’s Strategic Plan

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