Public health in New York is a shared job. The New York State Department of Health, headquartered in Albany, writes statewide rules and oversees programs. Local health departments do the day-to-day work: the county offices outside New York City and the city's own department. They run the clinics, inspections and outbreak response that residents actually see. Which office you call depends mostly on where you live, so it helps to know how the system is built before you pick up the phone.

The offices listed on this page stretch from the Capital Region to the Adirondacks and the St. Lawrence River valley. Below you will find who sets the rules, how big-city and rural offices differ, what services to expect, and what to bring.

How the State and the Counties Split Public Health Work in New York

The state's authority comes mainly from the New York Public Health Law and the State Sanitary Code. The Commissioner of Health leads the state department. The Public Health and Health Planning Council can adopt changes to the Sanitary Code. That code sets minimum standards for food service, drinking water, swimming pools, children's camps and other settings where many people are exposed to the same risks.

Counties carry out those rules on the ground. Each county outside New York City has its own health department, usually led by a public health director who answers to county government. The state reimburses part of the cost of approved local services through state aid. This is why the quality and hours of a local office can differ from one county to the next, even though the rules behind them are the same.

Our database lists two state-level entries in Albany: the New York State Health Department at 150 Broad Street (518-402-7090) and the New York State Department Of Health at 100 South Mall Arterial (518-474-2011). These offices deal with licensing, statewide programs and policy. They are not where you go for a flu shot or a restaurant complaint. For those, call your county office first.

One rule trips people up. A birth or death that happened in the five boroughs is recorded by New York City, not by the state. Everywhere else, the local registrar or the state vital records office can help. Check which system holds your record before you order.

Big-City Departments: New York City, Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse

The largest local agency is the New York City Department Of Health And Mental Hygiene, based at 125 Worth Street in Manhattan (212-788-4753). It answers to a Board of Health and a commissioner appointed by the mayor. It inspects restaurants and posts the letter grades you see in storefront windows. It also runs immunization and sexual health services, pest control programs and lead poisoning prevention. Our database also lists a New York City Health Department entry at 1839 42nd St in Astoria, Queens (718-267-2170), which is useful if you live in that part of the city.

Upstate, the pattern is different. Cities rarely run a separate department. A county office usually serves the city and everything around it. The Buffalo Health Department, at 462 Grider Street (716-858-7690), sits in Erie County. In Rochester, the Monroe County Health Department is at 111 Westfall Road (585-753-2991). Syracuse is served by the Onondaga County Health Department at 421 Montgomery Street (315-345-3252), and Utica by the Oneida County Health Department at 406 Elizabeth Street (315-798-5747).

Because these offices cover whole counties, a Syracuse address does not mean services are limited to city residents. If you live in a suburb or village, the same office is probably yours too. In the Capital Region, Albany County has the most listings in our database, partly because state and county offices sit side by side.

Hudson Valley, Long Island and Rural Counties: What Changes Outside the Cities

Suburban counties tend to be well staffed and offer many services under one roof. The Westchester County Department Of Health is at 145 Huguenot Street in New Rochelle (914-813-5000); see the Westchester County listings for more offices nearby. Farther north, the Rockland County Department Of Health is at 50 Sanatorium Road in Pomona (845-364-2512), and the Dutchess County Health Department is at 510 West Haight Avenue in Arlington (845-486-3403). In 2019, Rockland declared a state of emergency over measles. That outbreak helped drive the state's decision that year to end religious exemptions to school vaccine requirements.

Rural counties work differently. Hamilton County, in the Adirondacks, has the smallest population in the state. Its health department is at 145 White Birch Lane in Indian Lake (518-648-6497). Nearby, the Essex County Health Department is at 7551 Court Street in Elizabethtown (518-873-3560), and the Saranac Lake Health Department, in Franklin County, is at 41 Saint Bernard Street (518-891-1800). Staff are few, territory is large, and many services run by appointment or at scheduled clinics rather than on a walk-in basis.

The north country and central New York follow a similar pattern. The Canton Health Department at 58 Gouverneur Street (315-386-1040) is one of the St. Lawrence County offices. In the Hudson Valley and Catskills, the Columbia County Health Department is at 747 Warren Street in Hudson (877-828-1691). The Greene Health Department is at 411 Main Street in Catskill (518-719-3600), and the Schoharie County Health Department is at 284 Main Street in Schoharie (518-295-8365). In the Southern Tier, the Tompkins County Health Department is at 55 Brown Road in Ithaca (607-274-6622), and the Broome County Health Department is at 225 Front Street in Binghamton (607-778-3930).

Sovereign Native nations in New York may also run their own health services. Our database includes a Seneca Nation entry at 319 North Street in Arcade (585-492-3230), listed under Wyoming County.

Services You Can Expect From a New York Health Department

Exact offerings vary by county, but most local departments handle the same core list:

Health departments usually do not enroll people in Medicaid or choose insurance plans. That goes through the NY State of Health marketplace or your county social services office.

What to Bring and How to Get Help Faster

Call before you go. Many offices have reduced walk-in hours, and some programs meet only on set days. Ask the receptionist which program covers your issue, whether you need an appointment, and what paperwork to bring.

For most visits, bring a photo ID, your insurance card if you have one, and any past vaccination records. If you are requesting a vital record, bring proof of identity and be ready to show your relationship to the person named. Business owners applying for a food or pool permit should bring floor plans, water source details and any state licenses already on file.

For complaints about a restaurant, a water supply or a suspected outbreak, contact the county health department first. In New York City, dial 311. Call 911 for a medical emergency, and 988 for a mental health crisis.

The health department network in New York 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 100 cities across New York. They are spread across 62 counties.

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

Residents of New York 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 New York 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 New York to find the nearest location.

Finding the Right Health Office Among New York's 62 Counties

New York has 62 counties, and the five boroughs of New York City are each counties of their own. Outside the city, residents deal with their county health department. Inside the city, one agency covers all five boroughs. The Long Island counties, Suffolk County and Nassau County, each run large departments with their own clinics and environmental staff.

A quick way to choose the right office is to ask where the issue is happening. A restaurant, a well or a bat in the attic belongs to the county where the property sits. A vaccine record belongs to the area where you live. A hospital or nursing home licensing issue goes to the state department in Albany, where our database lists the 150 Broad Street and 100 South Mall Arterial offices.

Border areas can be confusing. Some small counties share services or contract with neighbors for certain programs. When the first office cannot help, ask who can, and write down the name and number before you hang up. Most staff will point you to the right door, and a good referral from the first call can save you a second trip.

Frequently Asked Questions About New York Health Departments

Outside New York City, your county health department inspects restaurants and issues food service permits under the State Sanitary Code. In New York City, the Department Of Health And Mental Hygiene does the job and posts a letter grade of A, B or C in the window. To report a problem, call the county office where the restaurant is located. In the city, use 311. Have the name and address of the business ready, plus the date of your visit and a short description of what happened.

It depends on where the event happened. For a birth or death in the five boroughs, order from the New York City Department Of Health And Mental Hygiene, which is based at 125 Worth Street. For the rest of the state, ask the local registrar in the city, town or village where it occurred, or contact the state vital records office in the Albany area. Bring a valid photo ID and proof of your relationship to the person named, because only eligible people can receive certified copies.

New York requires children to be immunized against several diseases before attending school or child care. Since 2019, the state accepts only medical exemptions; religious exemptions were repealed after a large measles outbreak in the Rockland County area. Your county health department can hold clinics, review records and explain which doses your child still needs. Bring any existing records. The state keeps an immunization registry called NYSIIS, and New York City uses its own Citywide Immunization Registry, so ask your pediatrician or clinic to look you up.

Counties such as Hamilton, Essex and Franklin have small populations spread over large, mountainous areas. The Hamilton County Health Department in Indian Lake, the Essex County Health Department in Elizabethtown and the Saranac Lake Health Department therefore work with small teams. Expect appointment-based services, scheduled clinics in outlying towns and longer travel for some programs. Calling ahead matters even more here than in Buffalo or Albany, since one person may cover several duties and winter weather can change clinic days.

Wash the wound with soap and water for several minutes, then contact a doctor and your county health department the same day. The health department decides whether rabies treatment is needed and arranges testing of the animal when possible. A bat found in a room with a sleeping person or child should be reported even if no bite is visible, and do not release it. A dog, cat or ferret that bites is usually confined and watched for ten days. Many counties also run low-cost pet rabies clinics.

Call the New York State Department Of Health, listed at 518-474-2011, for matters that cross county lines or involve state licensing, such as hospitals, nursing homes and home care agencies. It is also the right contact for statewide program questions and for problems your county could not resolve. For routine needs such as vaccines, restaurant complaints, well water or local disease reports, start with your county health department. Staff there can escalate to the state when an issue is larger than one county.