California Department of Public Health

Medical Marijuana Program

CDPH operates the Medical Marijuana Program, tasked with issuing identification cards under Compassionate Use Act of 1996, and California Senate Bill 420.

Kids' Plates Program

CDPH administers the state's Kids' Plates program, which funds programs to protect children through the sale of customized license plates featuring one of four symbols- Heart, Hand, Star or Plus sign in the plate message. Of the proceeds, 50% supports child care licensing and inspections, 25% supports prevention of child abuse and 25% supports accidental childhood injury prevention programs.

Lead-contaminated lunch bag incident, 2007

In 2007 it was discovered that CDPH had distributed green canvas "EAT FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AND BE ACTIVE" lunch bags (soft lunch boxes) whose cover, lining, and logo "tested high for lead levels". Although CDPH eventually asked that people not use 56,000 green or 247,000 blue lunch bags, CDPH was criticized by an advocacy group for not notifying parents quickly enough of the presence of lead in the green ones.

Medical Privacy Fines, 2009

In 2009 CDPH imposed two fines totaling more than $400,000 against Kaiser Permanente hospital in Bellflower, CA, for failing to prevent unauthorized access to confidential patient information. The first fine was in May, of $250,000. It was the largest under a state law enacted following widely publicized violations of privacy involving celebrities, including Farrah Fawcett, Britney Spears and California First Lady Maria Shriver.

A second fine, of $187,500, was part of an investigation into employees improperly accessing the medical records of the so-called Octomom Nadya Suleman and her children.

Social Marketing

CDPH uses Twitter and Facebook to provide public health information.

Office of Health Equity

The Office of Health Equity (OHE) was established, as authorized by Section 131019.5 of the California Health and Safety Code (PDF)Opens in new browser window, to provide a key leadership role to reduce health and mental health disparities to vulnerable communities. The OHE's Deputy Director, Jahmal Miller, was appointed by the Governor and Senate confirmed. The Deputy Director of the OHE reports to the Director at CDPH and works closely with the Director of Health Care Services.

A priority of this groundbreaking office is building of cross-sectoral partnerships. The work of OHE is informed in part, by their advisory committee and stakeholder meetings. The office consults with community-based organizations and local governmental agencies to ensure that community perspectives and input are included in policies and any strategic plans, recommendations, and implementation activities.

OHE is divided into the following three units:

Community Development and Engagement Unit's mission is to strengthen the CDPH’s focus and ability to advise and assist other state departments in their mission to increase access to, and the quality of, culturally and linguistically competent mental health care and services.

Policy Unit's mission is to tackle complex projects that require input and collaboration across multiple agencies and departments, most of which are not traditionally thought of as health related.

Health Research and Statistics Unit (HRSU) is a leading state unit in collecting data and disseminating information about health and mental health disparities and inequities in California. HRSU researches and produces data to fulfill statutory mandated reports and provides information and technical assistance to CDPH programs, state agencies, local health departments and stakeholders who are working to collect and report information on health and mental disparities and inequities in California.