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Department of Health Services

Public Health Division

Public Health Division

Animal Shelter

The Sonoma County Animal Shelter is committed to serving the public in the care and well being of animals, both domestic and livestock, throughout the unincorporated areas of Sonoma County, the city of Santa Rosa and the town of Windsor.

Disease Control Surveillance & Response

  • Disease Control Unit: The Disease Control unit is responsible for the investigation of outbreaks of communicable diseases, surveillance of reportable diseases, and provision of educational materials and services to assist communities in reducing the incidence of communicable diseases.
  • Public Health Regional Laboratory: Provides specimen testing services to the counties of Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake and Humboldt in Northern California, training and reference testing to clinical laboratories, and laboratory support for diagnosis and control of communicable diseases to private medical providers.
  • Office of Vital Statistics: Provides birth and death certificates, medical marijuana identification cards, permits for disposition of human remains, and data for communicable disease reporting.
  • Public Health Preparedness: Planning and putting in place programs to respond quickly and effectively to threats endangering the health of the public.

Emergency Medical Services Oversight

Coastal Valleys EMS Agency: Provides oversight to the emergency medical care delivery system in Sonoma and Mendocino counties.

Environmental Health & Safety

  • Our Environmental Health and Safety programs promote health and quality of life by preventing or controlling those diseases or deaths that result from interactions between people and the places they live, work and play. Our programs employ several strategies to prevent health hazards including education, surveillance, routine inspections, response to citizen tips, sampling and posting and enforcement where necessary.

Family Health

Healthy Communities

The mission of Healthy Communities is to provide comprehensive, coordinated services in partnership with the community that support healthy societal and behavioral choices for the people of Sonoma County.

  • Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention: The Alcohol and Other Drug Program works in concert with local community based organizations, community partners, and government agencies to promote a healthy Sonoma County. The program uses a continuum of prevention strategies to support overall community well-being through the prevention of alcohol and drug use.
  • Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL): Program staff members are involved in several collaborative projects aimed at increasing the activity level and encouraging healthy eating among Sonoma County residents.
  • Tobacco and Nicotine Prevention: Public Health uses Proposition 99 tobacco tax funds to conduct tobacco control activities, including the Tobacco Education Program, Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Sonoma County, and the Sonoma County Peer Leaders Advocating for Teens (SPLAT).

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information

Beginning May 11, 2023, when the federal public health emergency expired, Sonoma County COVID-19 information, data and resources are exclusively on the County of Sonoma Department of Health Services web pages. 

COVID-19 Information