Indiana runs public health on two levels. The Indiana Department of Health sets statewide policy from its headquarters at 2 North Meridian Street in Indianapolis, while county health departments handle most of the day-to-day work, from restaurant inspections to childhood vaccines. If you need a birth certificate, a septic permit or a flu shot, the office you want is usually local. It may sit in a courthouse annex, a stand-alone clinic or a shared building in a small county seat. This page explains how those offices are organized across Indiana, how they differ between cities and farm counties, and how to avoid a wasted trip.

How the State and 92 Counties Divide Public Health Work in Indiana

The Indiana Department of Health, usually shortened to IDOH, is the state agency at the top. A State Health Commissioner, appointed by the governor, leads it. IDOH licenses hospitals and other health facilities, maintains statewide vital records, tracks disease outbreaks and passes federal and state public health money to local partners. The main number for the Indianapolis headquarters, as listed in our database, is 317-233-1325.

Local work is a county responsibility. Under Indiana Code Title 16, each county maintains a local health department overseen by a board of health. A physician serves as the county health officer and provides medical direction. A health administrator, public health nurses and environmental health specialists run the daily operation. The result is a patchwork. Each office sets its own hours, forms, clinic schedules and fee list, even though the rules behind them come from the state.

Some arrangements cross county lines. The Fountain-Warren County Health Department in Attica, at 113 West Sycamore Street, serves two neighboring counties from one office, and our database files it under Fountain County. In parts of northwest Indiana, individual cities can also run their own health departments alongside the county office. It pays to confirm which one covers your address before you apply for anything.

Funding has been shifting as well. Since 2023, the Health First Indiana initiative has sent additional state dollars to local health departments in exchange for delivering a defined set of core public health services. The aim is a more consistent baseline of work, such as immunizations, disease investigation and maternal and child health programs, even in counties with small budgets.

Health Departments in Indiana: Big-City Offices Versus Rural County Offices

Size changes the experience more than anything else. Marion County, home to Indianapolis and the state's largest population, is served by the Marion County Public Health Department, a large agency with specialized divisions. The state agency is also based in the city, so residents with questions about statewide records can go straight to IDOH on North Meridian Street. The Marion County page lists the Indianapolis entries in our database.

Other metro counties follow a similar clinic model with larger staffs. The Lake County Health Department at 2900 West 93rd Avenue in Crown Point serves a county in the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Lake County page has more listings than any other county we track. The Allen County Health Department at 2242 Carroll Road in Fort Wayne (260-449-7459) covers the state's second-largest city, and the Allen County page shows its details. In the southwest, the Vanderburgh County Health Department at 420 Mulberry Street in Evansville (812-435-5684) is the main office for the Evansville area, listed on the Vanderburgh County page. Along the Ohio River, the Clark County Health Department at 1319 Duncan Avenue in Jeffersonville (812-282-7521) serves a county that is part of the Louisville metro, so many clients cross the river for work and errands. See the Clark County page for more.

Rural counties work differently. The Newton County Health Department in Morocco, the Ripley County Health Department in Versailles, the Rush County Health Department in Rushville and the Fulton County Health Department in Rochester are small offices with compact staffs. One person may handle food inspections, septic permits and part of the vital records workload. Nurse clinics may run on set days rather than every day, and some specialized services may be referred to a neighboring county or a regional hospital. That is not a flaw. It is how a small tax base stretches. It does mean that calling ahead matters more.

College towns add another variation. The Monroe County Health Department in Bloomington and the Delaware County Health Department in Muncie both operate in counties with large student populations, which bring their own questions about immunization records and communicable disease reporting.

Services Indiana County Health Departments Typically Provide

Exact menus differ from county to county, but most Indiana offices cover these areas:

Some tasks people expect from a health department belong elsewhere. Marriage licenses come from the county clerk of the circuit court. Medicaid and SNAP applications go through the Family and Social Services Administration. Driver licenses and ID cards come from the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. WIC is overseen by the state and delivered through local agencies, so not every county health department hosts its own WIC clinic. Heading to the right counter first saves a second trip.

Planning a Visit to an Indiana Health Department

First, confirm the office. Search by county, but watch for spelling variants. Our database lists the De Kalb County Health Department at 220 East 7th Street in Auburn (260-925-3450) and the Lagrange County Health Department, while the counties themselves are usually written DeKalb and LaGrange. It is the same office under a different spelling.

Second, call before you drive. The Hancock County office at 110 South State Street in Greenfield answers at 317-477-1125. The Cass County office at 1101 Michigan Avenue in Logansport is 574-753-7760, and the Madison County office at 206 East 9th Street in Anderson is 765-641-9480. Ask about hours, whether you need an appointment and which payment methods are accepted. Also check suite numbers. Newton County's address includes Ste 500 and Ripley County's includes #106, and those details matter once you arrive.

Third, bring the right documents. A government-issued photo ID is the baseline for any vital record request. Bring your insurance card and existing immunization records for a vaccine visit. For a septic or food permit, bring the property address, parcel details and any plans or site drawings you already have.

Finally, use the state when the county cannot help. IDOH can issue certified copies of Indiana birth and death certificates from Indianapolis. Statewide registration began in 1907, so very old records may sit only with a county office or local archive. If you are not sure where to start, the county pages in this directory show every listing we have for that area.

The health department network in Indiana 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 96 cities across Indiana. They are spread across 91 counties.

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

Residents of Indiana 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 Indiana 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 Indiana to find the nearest location.

Rules and Local Differences Worth Knowing Before You Go

Indiana's public health structure is written into state law and state rules, and a few of them shape what happens at the counter. Retail food establishments follow state food safety requirements that county staff enforce. A restaurant in Evansville and one in Auburn are therefore inspected against the same standards, even though different departments do the visiting. Septic systems follow state onsite sewage rules, applied by the county, so the permit process looks similar in Corydon and in Rochester.

Vital records are the other major area. A birth or death certificate is a legal document, so offices ask who you are and why you need it. The person named on the record, parents, legal guardians and others with a direct legal interest are typically eligible. Funeral directors file death certificates, and families then order certified copies from the county or the state.

Local conditions still matter. The Harrison County Health Department in Corydon (812-738-3237) serves the seat of Indiana's first state capital, a small town where one office covers a mostly rural county. LaGrange County, where the health department operates from 304 North 00Ew in Lagrange (260-499-4182), has one of the state's largest Amish communities. Public health work there has to fit how people travel, communicate and schedule appointments, which can look very different from a city clinic.

Frequently Asked Questions About Indiana Health Departments

You have two main options. The local health department in the county where the birth took place can usually issue a certified copy, and some offices can do it the same day if you arrive with valid photo identification. You can also order from the Indiana Department of Health's vital records office at 2 North Meridian Street in Indianapolis, which holds records dating from statewide registration beginning in 1907. Fees and payment methods differ by office, so call first. The Monroe County Health Department in Bloomington (812-349-2543) is one example of a county office you can phone to confirm what it accepts.

Local health departments carry out retail food inspections under state food safety rules. In Indianapolis the Marion County health agency handles it, and in Evansville the Vanderburgh County Health Department at 420 Mulberry Street does. Operators generally need a permit from the county where they work and must have a certified food handler or manager on staff. If you spot a problem as a customer, file a complaint with the county office and include the date, the address and what you saw. Many counties post inspection results online, but the format and timing vary, so ask the office if you cannot find them.

In most cases, yes. Indiana's onsite sewage rules call for a permit for new systems and for many repairs, and the county health department reviews the application. Expect to provide the property address, a soil evaluation from a qualified professional and a site plan. The office typically inspects the system before it is covered with soil. Rural counties such as Rush, Fulton and Noble depend heavily on septic systems, so their environmental staff handle these requests often. Call your county office, such as the Noble County Health Department in Albion (260-636-2191), before hiring a contractor so you know which documents are required and how long the process takes.

Many county offices run immunization clinics for children and adults, though the vaccines on hand and the clinic days vary. Larger departments, such as Allen County in Fort Wayne, may keep regular clinic hours, while smaller ones may offer specific days or appointments only. Bring your insurance card, photo ID and any existing immunization record. If your child is starting school, check the school's requirements and ask the nurse which doses are still needed. The Cass County Health Department in Logansport (574-753-7760) is one office to call about current clinic days. Pharmacies and primary care offices are alternatives if your county does not offer the shot you need.

Some small counties share a department to stretch limited resources. The Fountain-Warren County Health Department, at 113 West Sycamore Street in Attica (765-762-3035), is one example in our database, and it is listed under Fountain County. One department serves both counties, so a Warren County resident contacts the Attica office instead of looking for a separate one. If you live near a county line, confirm which department covers your address before applying for a permit or requesting records. Jurisdiction follows where the property or event is located, not whichever office happens to be closest to your home.

Start with your county health department for local issues, such as sewage problems, unsanitary housing, an illness you believe came from a restaurant, or an animal bite that raises rabies concerns. For statewide questions, the Indiana Department of Health in Indianapolis (317-233-1325) coordinates outbreak response and handles licensing matters. In a medical emergency, call 911. Call 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, and 1-800-222-1222 for Poison Control, which is free and open at all hours. Keep notes on dates, symptoms and places visited, because they help investigators trace a source.