How Tennessee Organizes Its Public Health Departments

Tennessee runs public health through a mix of state and local offices, and knowing which one serves your county saves time. The Tennessee Department of Health, headquartered in Nashville, sets statewide policy under Title 68 of the Tennessee Code Annotated. In most of the state's 95 counties, the local health department is a state-operated clinic. In six counties, it is a locally governed metropolitan department.

Our database lists 143 health department offices across the state. That is more than one per county on average, because large counties have branch clinics and the state keeps regional offices. The listings tell you where the door is. This page explains what happens behind it.

Seven Rural Regions Under the State Department

Outside the metropolitan counties, the Department of Health groups counties into seven regions: Northeast, East Tennessee, Southeast, Upper Cumberland, Mid-Cumberland, South Central and West Tennessee. Each region has a regional office that supports the county clinics with nursing oversight, environmental health staff and administration. Our directory includes the South Central Tennessee Regional Health Office at 1216 Trotwood Avenue in Columbia, in Maury County. It also includes the Tennessee State Health Department listing at 781 Airways Boulevard in Jackson, in Madison County, at 731-423-6454.

Six Metropolitan Departments Run Locally

Davidson, Hamilton, Knox, Madison, Shelby and Sullivan counties operate their own health departments instead of state-run county clinics. Their directors answer to local boards of health and local government. They still follow state public health law and work closely with the state department on disease reporting, immunization programs and emergencies. For a resident, the main difference is practical: the phone numbers, websites, clinic hours and sometimes the fee schedules are set locally.

Metro Health Departments in Tennessee's Largest Cities

Most Tennesseans live in or near one of the metropolitan counties, so these offices handle the heaviest traffic. Each one runs several clinic sites, and no single site offers every service. Call the main number first and ask which location provides what you need.

In Nashville, the Metro Public Health Department is at 311 23rd Avenue North, phone 615-340-5616. Davidson County has six listings in our database. One of them is the Antioch Health Department at 601 Bakertown Rd, phone 615-331-7051. That location serves the southeast side of Nashville, so you may avoid a trip downtown.

In Memphis, the Memphis and Shelby County Health Department is at 814 Jefferson Avenue, phone 901-544-7583. Shelby County has four listings, and the department serves the largest county in West Tennessee by population.

In Knoxville, the Knox County Health Department is at 2247 Western Avenue, phone 865-215-5000. In Chattanooga, the Chattanooga Health Department is at 540 McCallie Avenue, phone 423-634-6319, and it serves Hamilton County. In Sullivan County, the Sullivan County Health Department is at 154 Blountville Bypass in Blountville, phone 423-279-2777. The county sits in the Tri-Cities area of Northeast Tennessee.

Metro departments often run appointment systems for immunizations, family planning and WIC. Walk-in hours exist at some sites but change often. A two-minute phone call usually beats a wasted trip.

Rural County Health Departments Across Tennessee

In smaller counties, the health department may be the only public health provider for miles. Staff are few, and each person covers many programs. A nurse who gives childhood vaccines in the morning may run a pregnancy test or a tuberculosis skin test after lunch. Some services are offered only on certain days, so confirm before you drive.

The Upper Cumberland region shows the pattern well. The Putnam County Health Department at 121 S Dixie Ave in Cookeville, phone 931-528-2531, is a larger site in the area. Putnam County has four listings in our data. Smaller neighbors each have their own clinic:

Other regions look similar. In West Tennessee, you will find the Gibson County Health Department at 1250 Manufacturers Row in Trenton, the Carroll County Health Department at 625 High Street in Huntingdon, and the Crockett County Health Department at 209 North Bells Street in Alamo. Lake County, home of Reelfoot Lake, has its clinic at 400 Carl Perkins Parkway in Tiptonville, phone 731-253-9954.

On the Cumberland Plateau and in the Tennessee Valley, the Grundy County Health Department is at 1376 Main Street in Altamont, phone 931-692-3641. The Marion County Health Department is at 24 7th Street East in Jasper, phone 423-942-2238. The Rhea County Health Department is at 344 Eagle Lane in Evensville, phone 423-775-7819.

Growing counties near Nashville and Clarksville have larger clinics. The Montgomery County Health Department is at 330 Pageant Ln in Clarksville, phone 931-648-7280, and serves a county with a large military community near Fort Campbell. The Cheatham County Health Department is at 162 County Services Drive in Ashland City, phone 615-792-4318. In the Smokies corridor, the Sevier County Health Department is at 227 Cedar Street in Sevierville, phone 865-637-6853.

What to Bring and Which Services to Expect at a Tennessee Clinic

County health departments in Tennessee focus on prevention and basic public health. They are not emergency rooms, and most are not full primary care practices. The usual services include:

Bring a government-issued photo ID to every visit. Add your insurance card or TennCare card if you have one. TennCare is Tennessee's Medicaid program, and the state runs it separately from the clinics, though staff can point you toward enrollment help. For children, bring any shot records. For WIC, ask in advance which proof of income, identity and address the clinic wants, since the documents depend on your household.

Fees vary by service and by income, and some programs are free for eligible residents. Ask about costs when you call, before you book. If you cannot pay, say so. Many services use income-based fees.

Finally, check the county line. Tennessee residents can usually visit any county clinic for vaccines or testing, but WIC and some programs may require you to enroll where you live. Start with the office nearest your home, and follow the listings below for your city or county.

The health department network in Tennessee 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 107 cities across Tennessee. They are spread across 95 counties.

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

Residents of Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee to find the nearest location.

Finding the Right Health Department in Your Part of Tennessee

Tennessee stretches about 440 miles from the Mississippi River to the Appalachian Mountains, and health department access changes along the way. In Middle Tennessee, Nashville residents can choose among several Davidson County sites. In the Cumberland Plateau counties, one clinic may cover the whole county. In the northeast, Johnson City is home to the Washington County Health Department at 415 North State of Franklin Road, phone 423-975-2200. Grundy County shows the small-county model, with a single clinic on Main Street in Altamont.

Use the county pages to compare nearby offices. Check three things before you go: the street address, the hours for the specific service you need, and whether an appointment is required. Phone numbers in our listings come from public records, but hours and programs change. A short call confirms them, and staff can often tell you if a neighboring county offers the service sooner. If your situation is urgent, such as chest pain, severe injury or a mental health crisis, call 911 instead of a clinic.

The Tennessee Department of Health, based in Nashville, oversees public health statewide under Title 68 of the Tennessee Code Annotated. In 89 counties, it operates the local clinics through seven regional offices. Six counties run their own metropolitan departments: Davidson, Hamilton, Knox, Madison, Shelby and Sullivan. Those departments answer to local boards of health but still follow state law and coordinate with the state on disease reporting and emergencies. If you are unsure which system covers your county, call the nearest clinic listed on our site and ask who operates it.

It depends on the service and the office. Larger metro sites, such as the Metro Public Health Department in Nashville at 615-340-5616 or the Knox County Health Department at 865-215-5000, often schedule WIC, family planning and many vaccines by appointment. Smaller rural clinics may accept walk-ins for shots or records, but they can close for lunch or have days with limited staff. Call first, state what you need, and ask what to bring. That one call also tells you whether the service is offered at that site or only at a larger clinic in the region.

In many cases, yes. Certified copies of Tennessee birth and death certificates are available through the state vital records system, and many county health departments can issue them in person. The certificate must be for a birth or death that occurred in Tennessee. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID and be ready to pay the fee, which you should confirm by phone. Eligibility rules limit who can request a certificate, usually the person named or an immediate family member. Births outside Tennessee must be requested from the state where they occurred.

WIC is a federal nutrition program that Tennessee delivers through its health departments. Pregnant women, new mothers, infants and children under five may qualify based on income and nutritional need. Call your local clinic, such as the Putnam County Health Department in Cookeville at 931-528-2531, and ask for a WIC appointment. Staff will tell you which documents to bring, usually proof of identity, address and income. Families who receive TennCare or certain other benefits may meet the income requirement more easily. Bring the child to the visit, since staff may need to check height and weight.

Restaurant inspections are an environmental health function of public health. In metropolitan counties, the local department handles them, such as the Memphis and Shelby County Health Department at 901-544-7583. In most other counties, state environmental health staff working out of the county or regional health office do the inspections. Inspection results are public records. If you suspect food-related illness or a sanitation problem, call your county health department with the name and address of the business, the date, and what happened. Keep any receipts. Staff can open a complaint review.

Say so when you call. Many county health department services use income-based fees, and some programs carry no charge for eligible residents. Childhood vaccines may be available at low or no cost for children who qualify, including those with TennCare or no insurance. Bring proof of income if you have it, along with your insurance or TennCare card. Staff cannot waive every charge, but they can explain what you owe before you are seen. If a service is not offered at your local clinic, they can often refer you to another office or program.