Chapter 3 - Powers and Responsibilities of Government

Question 1

Public law consists of…

Answer 1

all the written statements relating to health by any of the 3 branches of government at the federal, state, and local levels

Question 2

What are some responsibilities of nongovernmental organizations?

Answer 2

creating educational programs and lobbying

Question 3

Who has the primary responsibility of public health?

Answer 3

the states

Question 4

What do the states do?

Answer 4

Collect data about the population, immunize children to go to school, regulate the sanitation of the environment, and regulate safety

Question 5

What does the federal government do?

Answer 5

Regulates interstate commerce and “collect[s] taxes.. to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare”

Question 6

What does the FDA, part of the federal government, regulate?

Answer 6

Food, drugs, medical devices, and cosmetics

Question 7

How can the federal government get states to, essentially, do what they want them to?

Answer 7

By providing funding with stipulations, such as saying they can be funded if they require all bikers to wear helmets

Question 8

How is the role of the federal government currently being threatened?

Answer 8

Congress wants to hand Medicaid down to the states

Question 9

New Federalism

Answer 9

Trend in the 90s under Supreme Court justice Rehnquist that limited congressional power and returned authority to the states

Question 10

The police powers of government are basic to public health. What are 3 reasons why they’re invoked?

Answer 10

1. To prevent someone from harming others
2. To defend the interests of incompetent persons such as children or the mentally retarded
3. To protect the person from harming themself

Question 11

Who has the day-to-day public health responsibilities?

Answer 11

local health departments

Question 12

What do local health departments do?

Answer 12

• 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

Question 13

Some states give local public health agencies _____ ____ responsibilities and make them provide medical care to the ____

Answer 13

mental health ; poor

Question 14

How much can the states fund local health departments?

Answer 14

It varies

Question 15

How can the federal government fund local health departments?

Answer 15

directly or indirectly

Question 16

Where can the budget of local health departments come from?

Answer 16

Service fees, local property and sales taxes

Question 17

Who has primary constitutional responsibility and authority for the protection of the health, safety, and general welfare of the population?

Answer 17

State health departments

Question 18

How are state health departments funded?

Answer 18

They rely heavily of federal funds and are funded mostly by state taxes and federal grants

Question 19

What do state health departments do?

Answer 19

• 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

Question 20

Do state health departments have flexibility on how to administer Medicaid?

Answer 20

Yes; they can even provide funding to hospitals to reimburse them for treating the uninsured

Question 21

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

Answer 21

Concerned with most traditional public health activities; consists of the CDC, NIH, FDA, EPA, and other departments

Question 22

Center for Disease Control (CDC)

Answer 22

The main assessment and epidemiologic agency.
Mission is to control and prevent human diseases, including chronic diseases, genetics, injury and violence, and environmental health

Question 23

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Answer 23

Greatest biomedical research complex
Supports research from basic cellular processes to the physiological errors that underlie human diseases
Houses the National Library of Medicine

Question 24

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Answer 24

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

Question 25

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Answer 25

Carries out programs dealing with water/air pollution, toxic substances, control, and other issues of environmental contamination

Question 26

Department of Agriculture

Answer 26

Sets standards of meat safety; oversees food and nutrition programs

Question 27

Department of Education

Answer 27

Supervises health education and school health and safety programs

Question 28

Department of Transportation

Answer 28

Traffic Safety

Question 29

Department of Labor

Answer 29

OSHA → Occupational health and prevention of occupational injury

Question 30

Department of Veterans Affairs

Answer 30

Veteran health and medical services

Question 31

Department of Defense

Answer 31

Medical care for the armed forces

Question 32

Department of Homeland Security

Answer 32

Protect public from acts of terrorism, natural disasters, and other emergencies