Chapter 3 - Powers and Responsibilities of Government Flashcards
Public law consists of…
all the written statements relating to health by any of the 3 branches of government at the federal, state, and local levels
What are some responsibilities of nongovernmental organizations?
creating educational programs and lobbying
Who has the primary responsibility of public health?
the states
What do the states do?
Collect data about the population, immunize children to go to school, regulate the sanitation of the environment, and regulate safety
What does the federal government do?
Regulates interstate commerce and “collect[s] taxes.. to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare”
What does the FDA, part of the federal government, regulate?
Food, drugs, medical devices, and cosmetics
How can the federal government get states to, essentially, do what they want them to?
By providing funding with stipulations, such as saying they can be funded if they require all bikers to wear helmets
How is the role of the federal government currently being threatened?
Congress wants to hand Medicaid down to the states
New Federalism
Trend in the 90s under Supreme Court justice Rehnquist that limited congressional power and returned authority to the states
The police powers of government are basic to public health. What are 3 reasons why they’re invoked?
- To prevent someone from harming others
- To defend the interests of incompetent persons such as children or the mentally retarded
- To protect the person from harming themself
Who has the day-to-day public health responsibilities?
local health departments
What do local health departments do?
- collect health statistics
- conduct communicable disease control programs
- provide screenings/immunizations
- provide public health education services and chronic disease control programs
- run school health programs
- deliver maternal and child health services and public health nursing services
Some states give local public health agencies _____ ____ responsibilities and make them provide medical care to the ____
mental health ; poor
How much can the states fund local health departments?
It varies
How can the federal government fund local health departments?
directly or indirectly
Where can the budget of local health departments come from?
Service fees, local property and sales taxes
Who has primary constitutional responsibility and authority for the protection of the health, safety, and general welfare of the population?
State health departments
How are state health departments funded?
They rely heavily of federal funds and are funded mostly by state taxes and federal grants
What do state health departments do?
- define (to varying degrees) the activities of local health departments
- can set policies for local agencies
- collects and analyzes data from local agencies
- often provide lab services
- license and certify medical personnel, facilities, and services to maintain standards of competence and quality of care
Do state health departments have flexibility on how to administer Medicaid?
Yes; they can even provide funding to hospitals to reimburse them for treating the uninsured
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Concerned with most traditional public health activities; consists of the CDC, NIH, FDA, EPA, and other departments
Center for Disease Control (CDC)
The main assessment and epidemiologic agency.
Mission is to control and prevent human diseases, including chronic diseases, genetics, injury and violence, and environmental health
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Greatest biomedical research complex
Supports research from basic cellular processes to the physiological errors that underlie human diseases
Houses the National Library of Medicine
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Ensures that the food supply is safe and nutritious; evaluates all new drugs, food additives and colorings, and certain medical devices; regulates vaccines and diagnostic tests, animal drugs, and cosmetics
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Carries out programs dealing with water/air pollution, toxic substances, control, and other issues of environmental contamination
Department of Agriculture
Sets standards of meat safety; oversees food and nutrition programs
Department of Education
Supervises health education and school health and safety programs
Department of Transportation
Traffic Safety
Department of Labor
OSHA → Occupational health and prevention of occupational injury
Department of Veterans Affairs
Veteran health and medical services
Department of Defense
Medical care for the armed forces
Department of Homeland Security
Protect public from acts of terrorism, natural disasters, and other emergencies
