How Alabama Runs Its County Health Departments

Alabama handles public health through one statewide system rather than 67 separate local agencies. The Alabama Department of Public Health, usually shortened to ADPH, is based in Montgomery and maintains a health department presence in every one of the state's 67 counties. Policy direction comes from the State Committee of Public Health, which appoints the State Health Officer. For a resident, that structure brings consistency. Immunization rules, food-service standards and birth certificate procedures follow the same state framework whether you live in Mobile or in a small county seat in the Black Belt.

This page covers 112 listings in 82 cities, and the names vary from one listing to the next. Some read “County Health Department,” others read “Department of Public Health,” and two read “Public Health Area.” Public Health Area 9 in Robertsdale (Baldwin County, 251-947-6206) and Public Health Area 7 in Linden (Marengo County, 334-295-1000) reflect ADPH's practice of grouping counties into public health areas for regional administration. Staff at an area office may point you to the clinic in your own county for hands-on services.

A few listings need a careful read. The address 201 Monroe Street in Montgomery is where the state agency's central offices are located, yet our record for that address carries a Geneva County name. A Dothan record at 444 North Oates Street is titled simply “Alabama Health Department.” When a name and an address do not obviously match, call the number first and ask which office serves your county and which services it provides.

Metro Clinics and Rural Offices: How Health Departments in Alabama Differ

Birmingham, Mobile, Huntsville and Montgomery

Large population centers have the most listings. Jefferson County, the state's most populous, has seven, including the Jefferson County Department of Public Health at 1400 6th Avenue South in Birmingham (205-933-9110) and a separate site at 13695 Lock 17 Road in Adger (205-497-3329). You can browse them on our Jefferson County page. Mobile has five listings, anchored by the Mobile County Health Department at 251 North Bayou Street (251-690-8158). More are collected on the Mobile County page.

The Madison County Health Department sits at 304 Eustis Avenue Southeast in Huntsville (256-539-3711), serving one of the fastest-growing parts of the state. Details for that county are on the Madison County page. Montgomery also has five listings, which fits its role as the capital, where state-level offices and local clinics operate side by side. Our Montgomery County page lists them. Tuscaloosa County's office is at 2350 Hargrove Road East (205-562-6900), and Calhoun County's is at 3400 McClellan Boulevard in Anniston (256-237-7523).

In metro counties you are more likely to find several clinic sites, a wider range of appointment times and staff who focus on one program, such as WIC or immunizations. Parking and wait times can matter more than distance, so ask about walk-in hours before you leave home.

Rural counties, the Wiregrass and the Black Belt

Most of Alabama's counties are rural, and their health departments often serve as the main public health provider for miles around. Examples include the Cherokee County Health Department at 833 Cedar Bluff Road in Centre (256-927-3132), the Coosa County office at 1 Main Street in Rockford (256-377-4364), the Perry County office on County Road 45 in Marion (334-683-6153) and the Crenshaw County office at 100 E 4th St in Luverne (334-335-2471).

In the southern part of the state, the Conecuh County Health Department is at 526 Belleville St in Evergreen (251-578-1952), and the Washington County office is at 2024 Granade Ave in Chatom (251-847-2945). The Escambia County Health Department is at 8600 U.S. 31 in Atmore (251-368-9188). The Escambia County page shows all three of that county's listings.

Rural offices usually run on smaller staffs. A clinic may offer some services only on certain days, and a specialized service may be available only at a neighboring county's site. Selma, in Dallas County, has a state health listing at 100 Samuel O Moseley Drive (334-872-8757). If your county office does not provide a service, ask which nearby office does, and whether you need an appointment.

Travel time is the real barrier in rural Alabama. Black Belt counties have long faced shortages of doctors and hospitals, so the county health department may be the closest place to get a vaccine, a pregnancy test or a food permit. Plan the trip, call ahead and confirm hours before driving a long distance.

Services You Can Usually Get at an Alabama County Health Department

Exact offerings differ by county, but most offices provide some mix of the following:

State rules shape what you will be asked for. Alabama requires children entering childcare and public school to have up-to-date vaccines documented on an Alabama Certificate of Immunization, and county health departments are a common place to get that form completed. Providers and labs must also report certain diseases to ADPH, which is why a county nurse may call you after a positive test for something like tuberculosis or measles.

Alabama also places health departments at the center of food and sanitation oversight. If you plan to open a restaurant, a catering business or a home on a septic tank, the county environmental office is where the process starts. It is worth contacting before you buy equipment or break ground.

Before You Visit a Health Department in Alabama

A little preparation saves a second trip. Start with these steps.

First, call the listed number. Confirm the street address, hours, whether walk-ins are accepted and which services run on the day you plan to visit. Phone numbers in our records come from public listings, and offices occasionally move or change hours.

Second, bring identification. A photo ID is expected for vital records requests, and you may need to show your relationship to the person whose record you want. For immunizations, bring any prior shot records, plus your insurance or Medicaid card if you have one.

Third, gather proof for income-based programs. WIC and some clinic services depend on household size and income, so bring pay stubs, benefit letters or similar documents when you call to ask what is required.

Fourth, ask about cost. Some services are free or low-cost, while others carry fees set by the state or are billed to insurance. Some clinics adjust charges based on income. Ask for the price before the visit rather than at the counter.

Finally, use the right door for emergencies. A health department is not an emergency room. For chest pain, severe injury or a possible poisoning, call 911. For a general question about illness, local outbreaks or an environmental complaint, the county office is the right first call.

The health department network in Alabama consists of the state health agency and a system of county and city health departments that together deliver public health programs, disease surveillance, and preventive services to residents statewide.

Health Departments locations are available in 82 cities across Alabama. They are spread across 67 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Mobile, Montgomery, Birmingham, which operate full-service health departments providing comprehensive clinical and environmental health services to large urban populations.

Residents of Alabama can access their local health department for vaccinations, vital records, food inspection reports, and communicable disease information. Many services are available by appointment, and some are walk-in friendly.

Health Departments by Counties

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Residents of Alabama can order certified birth and death certificates, check restaurant inspection scores, and access free or low-cost vaccination services through their local health department. Most departments offer online appointment scheduling for clinical services.

Browse Health Departments by county across Alabama to find the nearest location.

Finding the Right Health Office Across Alabama's Regions

On the Gulf Coast, hurricane planning is a routine part of public health work in Mobile and Baldwin counties, and the Robertsdale area office (Public Health Area 9) is a regional contact. In the Wiregrass, the Dothan listing at 444 North Oates Street (334-793-1565) and Henry County's office at 505 Kirkland Street in Abbeville (334-585-2660) serve farming communities. Covington County's office at 23989 Alabama 55 in Andalusia (334-222-1175) is nearby. The Houston County page has more detail for the Dothan area.

In north Alabama, Morgan County's office is at 510 Cherry Street Northeast in Decatur (256-353-7021), a short drive from Huntsville. In east-central Alabama, Talladega County's office at 1004 South Street East (256-362-2593) and Tallapoosa County's office at 2078 Sportplex Boulevard in Alexander City (256-329-0531) cover communities between Birmingham and Montgomery. In the northwest, Fayette County's office is at 215 1st Avenue Northwest (205-932-5260) and Marion County's is at 2448 Military Street South in Hamilton (205-921-3118).

Because one state agency stands behind all of these offices, a record or referral from one county is generally recognized by another. ADPH keeps a statewide immunization registry called ImmPRINT, so if you move within Alabama, any county clinic can help you look up your vaccine history.

Alabama Health Department FAQs

The Alabama Department of Public Health, headquartered in Montgomery, runs the state's public health system and has a presence in all 67 counties. The State Health Officer leads the agency and is appointed by the State Committee of Public Health. Each county office is staffed by nurses, environmental specialists, social workers and administrators. Large counties such as Jefferson may also involve additional local oversight, so the arrangement can look slightly different in a big metro area. The practical point for residents is that statewide standards apply, so forms, vaccine rules and permit processes are largely the same everywhere.

Certified copies of birth certificates for Alabama births are available from the Center for Health Statistics in Montgomery and at county health departments. Bring a valid photo ID and be ready to provide the full name on the record, the date and place of birth and the parents' names. Only certain people, such as the person named, a parent or a legal representative, may request a certified copy. Fees are set by the state and can change, so confirm the current amount by phone before you go. Payment methods also differ by site, so ask whether the office accepts cards or cash only.

The Mobile County Health Department is at 251 North Bayou Street in Mobile (251-690-8158), and Public Health Area 9 is at 23280 Gilbert Drive in Robertsdale (251-947-6206), which falls in Baldwin County. Farther north, the Escambia County Health Department is at 8600 U.S. 31 in Atmore (251-368-9188). Coastal offices put extra emphasis on hurricane preparedness and shelter planning, so it helps to check with them before storm season. As with every office, call first to confirm hours and which services are offered that day.

It depends on the service and the county. Many offices take walk-ins for routine immunizations during set hours, while programs such as WIC, family planning and some testing often work by appointment. Smaller rural clinics may run certain services only on specific days of the week, and staff may be out at outreach events. A single phone call usually settles the question. Ask what the wait is likely to be, what to bring and whether children can be seen without an appointment. Calling ahead matters most if you are driving a long distance, as many Black Belt and Wiregrass residents must.

Small offices such as those in Rockford (Coosa County), Marion (Perry County) and Centre (Cherokee County) cannot always provide every program on site. Ask the staff which nearby county office handles the service and whether a referral is needed. Area offices, including Public Health Area 7 in Linden (334-295-1000), can also direct you to the right location. For medical care beyond public health services, the health department can often point you to federally qualified health centers or hospitals in your region. Write down the name and phone number of the person who helped you.

Start with the environmental services staff at your county health department. For a home without public sewer, the county reviews the site and approves the onsite sewage system under state rules, and you should do this before building or buying land. For a restaurant, caterer or other food business, the office handles plan review, permits and inspections, and inspection results are public records you can ask to see. Bring a site plan or floor plan, the address and your contact details. Ask about fees and timelines at the start so you can budget for them.