How the Mississippi State Department of Health Runs Local Offices

Health departments in Mississippi work differently from those in many other states. Instead of hundreds of independent city or county health boards, Mississippi relies on one statewide agency, the Mississippi State Department of Health, usually shortened to MSDH. The county health department near you is a local office of that agency. Its nurses, environmental inspectors, and clerks are state employees who follow statewide policies.

Policy is set by the State Board of Health, and the State Health Officer leads the agency day to day. The legal framework sits mainly in Title 41 of the Mississippi Code, which covers public health, communicable disease control, vital records, and sanitation. County boards of supervisors often help with buildings or local support. Clinical rules and program eligibility, however, come from the state.

For a resident, this has a practical benefit. A childhood immunization visit, a WIC application, or a septic permit request follows the same basic process in Aberdeen as it does in Pascagoula. Staff in one district can usually tell you what to expect in another. A phone call to any MSDH office can also point you to the right place if you contacted the wrong one.

It also means you rarely need to guess which government level to approach. If the service is about disease prevention, nutrition for young children, clinic-based screening, or sanitation, the state health department is almost always the starting point.

Public Health Districts: From Batesville to Meridian to Jackson

MSDH groups its county offices into public health districts. Each district has an office that supervises the county clinics in its region. Our database lists several of them. The Public Health District 5 Office is at 5963 Interstate 55 in Jackson (601-978-7864). The Public Health District 6 Office is at 3128 8th Street in Meridian (601-482-3171). The Mississippi Department of Health Northwest District 1 office is at 240 Tower Drive in Batesville (662-563-5603).

District offices are mostly administrative. They manage staff, coordinate disease investigations, and handle regional programs. If you only need a vaccine or a clinic visit, go to your county health department instead. Call a district office when a county clinic cannot answer your question, when you have a complaint about a local service, or when you need to know which clinic covers your area.

Some listings carry unusual names. The Mississippi State Health Department entry at 75 Wic Rd in Decatur, in Newton County (601-635-2129), appears to be a local site, not the agency headquarters, which is in Jackson. Aberdeen also has two Monroe County entries that share the phone number 662-369-8132, one at 307 East Jefferson Street and one at 302 South Chestnut Street. Batesville has both the Northwest District 1 office and the Panola County Health Department at 381 U.s. 51 (662-563-4616). In cases like these, call first to confirm which address serves the public for your need.

Jackson, the Gulf Coast, and Rural Counties: Where Access Differs

Hinds County, home to the state capital, has more listings in our database than any other county. Jackson residents have a district office, several clinics, and the state's largest hospitals within a short drive, including the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Neighboring Rankin County shares much of that access through the metro area. In metro counties you are more likely to find multiple clinic sites and shorter drives.

On the Gulf Coast, the Gulfport Health Department at 15255 Community Road (228-435-3132) serves Harrison County. The Jackson County Health Department at 4600 Vega Street in Pascagoula (228-762-1117) serves Jackson County. Do not confuse that coastal county with the city of Jackson in Hinds County. Coastal offices plan around hurricane season, and after a storm, schedules and sites can change quickly. Call before you travel.

In north Mississippi and the Delta, the picture is different. Benton, Choctaw, Amite, and Perry counties each have a county health department in a small town. Examples include the Benton County office at 16 Old Mississippi 4 in Ashland (662-224-6442) and the Choctaw County office at 123 Chester Street in Ackerman (662-285-6213). In the Delta, the Leflore County Health Department sits at 2600 Browning Road Extension in Greenwood (662-453-0284), and Washington County also has several listings. When the nearest hospital is a long drive away, the county health department is often the closest place for vaccines, family planning, and screening.

College and regional hub towns fall in between. The Oktibbeha County Health Department at 203 Yeates Street in Starkville (662-323-4565) serves a county that includes Mississippi State University. The Forrest County Health Department at 5008 Highway 42 in Hattiesburg (601-583-0291) serves a regional center in the Pine Belt. Even in these towns, some services run only on certain days, so a short call can save a trip.

Services You Can Usually Find at a Mississippi County Health Department

Exact offerings vary by clinic, but most county health departments cover a similar core of services:

MSDH is not the agency for everything. Medicaid is handled by the Mississippi Division of Medicaid. SNAP and TANF are handled by the Department of Human Services. Mental health care runs through the Department of Mental Health and its community mental health centers. A health department staff member can tell you where to apply, but you will usually complete those applications elsewhere.

Before You Go: What to Bring, When to Call, and Where to Look

Plan the visit around the service you need. Bring a photo ID, your insurance or Medicaid card if you have one, and any immunization records. For WIC, staff typically ask for proof of identity, proof of where you live, and proof of income or program participation. They also ask for records for the child or pregnant applicant. Parents bringing a child for shots should bring the child's earlier vaccine record so staff do not repeat doses.

Many MSDH services are free or reduced in cost for people who qualify, but fees depend on the service and your eligibility. Ask about cost when you call instead of assuming. If you have insurance or Medicaid, ask whether the clinic can bill it.

Call ahead for three reasons. First, clinic days: some small-county offices offer certain services only on set days. Second, appointments: some programs require one, while others take walk-ins. Third, closures: storms, flooding, and holidays can change hours. When you call, give your county of residence, since some programs prefer that you use your home county.

Finally, remember what a health department is not. It is not an emergency room. For chest pain, severe injury, or any emergency, call 911. For a complaint about a restaurant, a failing septic system, or a communicable disease concern, contact your county health department and give the address, date, and a short description. The listings below show the office closest to you, with a street address and phone number for each.

The health department network in Mississippi 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 101 cities across Mississippi. They are spread across 81 counties.

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

Residents of Mississippi 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

A
B
C
D
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
W
Y

Residents of Mississippi 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 Mississippi to find the nearest location.

Finding the Right Mississippi Health Department Office

Mississippi addresses can mislead. Many offices sit on highways or county roads rather than downtown streets, so use the street address and the phone number from the listing together. The Lowndes County Health Department in Columbus is on Lock and Dam Road (662-328-7809). The Smith County office in Raleigh is on Magnolia Drive (601-782-4472). The Lee County office in Tupelo is on South Church Street (662-841-9096).

If the closest clinic is across a county line, call first and ask whether that office will serve you. Policies on out-of-county visits can differ by service. For county-level detail, browse the pages for Newton County and Lauderdale County, where the Meridian district office is located. Other offices worth checking include Pike County on East Presley Boulevard in McComb (601-684-1030) and Winston County on Vance Street in Louisville (662-773-8087).

Frequently Asked Questions About Mississippi Health Departments

The Mississippi State Department of Health, known as MSDH, runs them. Local clinics are not separate city or county agencies. They are field offices of the state. The State Board of Health sets policy, and the State Health Officer directs the department. The legal basis is mainly Title 41 of the Mississippi Code. Because of this structure, a county health department in Lee County and one in Jackson County follow the same statewide rules, forms, and program standards. If you have a complaint or need a policy answer, a district office such as the Public Health District 5 Office in Jackson (601-978-7864) can direct you.

MSDH maintains a county health department presence across the state's 82 counties, and some counties list more than one location. Our database covers offices in 81 counties, so if you do not see yours, check with the nearest district office. Monroe County, for example, has two Aberdeen entries that share the phone number 662-369-8132, and Panola County has listings in Batesville. Because addresses and hours can change, confirm by phone before you drive. This matters most in rural counties, where the next closest clinic may be a long way off.

Call the county clinic and ask about immunization days and whether you need an appointment. Bring the child's existing vaccine record, a photo ID for the parent or guardian, and any insurance or Medicaid card. MSDH clinics take part in the federal Vaccines for Children program, which supplies vaccines to eligible children, although an administration fee may apply depending on the situation. Mississippi requires certain vaccines for school and child care entry, so ask staff which ones your child's grade needs. Schedule the visit well before school starts so there is time for any follow-up doses.

WIC is a federal nutrition program that MSDH delivers through its local clinics. It serves pregnant and postpartum women, infants, and children up to age five who meet income guidelines and have a nutritional need. Call your county health department to schedule an appointment. Typically you bring photo ID, proof of where you live, proof of income or program participation, and records for the child. Staff then do a short health screening, such as height and weight checks, and issue benefits for approved foods. Documentation rules follow program guidelines, so confirm the current list when you call.

These fall under MSDH environmental health staff, who work through county and district offices. A homeowner building or repairing an onsite wastewater (septic) system generally must deal with the health department before work begins, and inspectors review the site conditions. MSDH also inspects food service establishments and responds to sanitation complaints. If you suspect unsafe conditions at a restaurant, call your county health department and give the business name, address, and date. For a septic permit, contact the environmental health staff early, since site evaluation and scheduling can add time to a building project.

Distance is a real issue in parts of the Delta and north Mississippi. Start by calling your county office, since some services run only on set days and a short call can save a trip. If your county clinic lacks a service, ask whether a neighboring county, such as Leflore or Washington County in the Delta, offers it. District offices can also tell you which clinic is closest. For urgent symptoms, go to an emergency room or call 911, because health departments are not emergency providers. For ongoing care, ask about community health centers serving your area.