Department of Public Health

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) is the city government agency responsible for protecting and promoting the health of Philadelphia residents and providing a safety net for the most vulnerable. Because Philadelphia is a consolidated city and county, PDPH also performs the functions that in most of Pennsylvania are split between a county or municipal health department and the state Department of Health. It is a city department under the Home Rule Charter, not an independent authority or nonprofit. Its mission statement, quoted in its May 2026 budget testimony, is to protect and promote the health of all Philadelphians and to provide a safety net for the most vulnerable.^[1]

1 Structure and leadership

The department is headed by the Health Commissioner, who is appointed by the Mayor and sits in the Mayor's Cabinet. As of May 2026 the commissioner is Dr. Palak Raval-Nelson, who presented the department's Fiscal Year 2027 budget testimony to City Council on May 4, 2026, accompanied by a chief financial officer, a chief of staff, two deputy commissioners and division directors.^[1] The Board of Health, a body with regulatory authority over the Philadelphia Health Code, works alongside the department; its members are appointed under the Charter.

Work is organized into divisions. Those named in recent budget testimony include Ambulatory Health Services (the city-run health centers), Disease Control, Environmental Health Services, Air Management Services, Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention, HIV Health, Reproductive, Adolescent and Child Health, Health Analysis, Information and Strategy, and the Public Health Laboratory.^[1] The Medical Examiner's Office is also housed within the department's budget.

2 Programs and divisions

Health centers. PDPH operates a network of primary care and dental health centers aimed at residents who are uninsured or underinsured. The FY2027 testimony lists development of two new health centers in Northeast Philadelphia as a top priority, and describes expanding care for patients with substance use disorder and mental health conditions, including medications for opioid use disorder.^[1]

Disease control and immunization. The Division of Disease Control tracks reportable infectious diseases, runs immunization programs, and screens for sexually transmitted infections. The department planned in FY2027 to work with the Pennsylvania Department of Health on a state program supplementing the federal Vaccines for Children Program.^[1]

Environmental health and air quality. Environmental Health Services inspects food establishments and other regulated facilities and handles lead and vector-control matters. Air Management Services regulates air pollution sources and, per the testimony, planned a public dashboard drawing on 76 newly installed sensors measuring fine particulate matter and nitrogen oxides.^[1]

Medical examiner and laboratory. The Medical Examiner investigates sudden, suspicious and unexplained deaths; the Public Health Laboratory supports disease testing and emergency response.

3 Budget and staffing

The proposed FY2027 General Fund budget is $158,498,176, a decrease of $6,816,066 from FY2026 estimated obligations. The department attributed the decrease mainly to one-time capital transfers in FY2026 for the two new health centers.^[1] The department also receives substantial federal and state grant money, much of it passed through from agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; its FY2025 federal and state grants revenue budget was reported at $136.6 million.^[1] The department requested 1,084 budgeted positions across all funds for FY2027, eight fewer than FY2026, reflecting the planned end of certain grants.^[1] Annual budgets run through the city budget process.

4 Relationship to other bodies

PDPH coordinates with the state Department of Health on disease reporting and licensing, with federal agencies that fund its programs, and with the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services on overdose and mental health response. It works with the School District of Philadelphia on school health and with the Department of Licenses and Inspections on housing-related health hazards. The Safe and Healthy Homes Act debate reflects overlapping concerns between housing and health departments.

5 Residents: using the department

Residents can use city health centers, request immunizations, report food-safety or environmental problems through Philly311, and request birth and death records through the department's Vital Records program. See How to File a Complaint for general guidance. Specific services and hours change, so confirm on the department's website.

See also: DBHIDS, Medical Examiner's Office, Mayor's Cabinet and Offices, Office of Violence Prevention.

References

1. Philadelphia Department of Public Health, Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Testimony, submitted to Philadelphia City Council, May 4, 2026 (phlcouncil.com).
2. City of Philadelphia, Department of Public Health, department page, phila.gov.
3. Philadelphia Department of Public Health, FY26 Budget Hearings Testimony, May 2025 (phlcouncil.com).