Local Boards of Health (LBOH) have responsibility for public health in their jurisdiction. They support local public health vision, mission, and advocacy and encourage community involvement in setting public health priorities. Their dedicated leadership ensures the success of meeting the opportunities and challenges within public health.
One-Page Resources
The following documents may be helpful to LBOH members.
- Contractor Assurances - discusses signatory authority, monitoring compliance with contract terms, responsibility and accountability of the LBOH.
- Fiscal at a Glance - provides formulas to know, four dollar values to track, application of the formula, and tips for fiscal monitoring.
- Governance - provides history and overview.
- Succession Planning - to identify key positions that may become vacant due to retirement, resignation, death or new employment opportunities and plan for future workforce needs.
Website Resources
- Center for Sharing Public Health Services - provides access to tools, techniques, expertise and resources that health departments and decision-makers need to effectively share services across boundaries.
- Iowa Public Health Information Board - a one-stop destination to answer your questions or address your concerns regarding Iowa's Chapter 21 Open Meetings and Chapter 22 Public Records laws.
- National Association for Local Boards of Health (NALBOH) - informs, guides, and is the national voice for boards of health. In today’s public health system, the leadership role of boards of health makes them an essential link between public health services and a healthy community.
- Sunshine Advisories -resource for citizens as well as local governmental employees and officials. The "Sunshine Advisories" discuss basic requirements and the application of Iowa's "sunshine" laws.
Iowa Code and Iowa Administrative Code (IAC)
Iowa Code contains laws written by legislators and signed by the Governor. Iowa Administrative Code (IAC) are the rules containing the details that accompany the law.
- Iowa Code Chapter 137 - Local Board of Health
- Iowa Code Chapter 21 - Official Meetings Open to the Public (Open Meetings)
- Iowa Code Chapter 22 Examination of Public Records (Open Records)
- Iowa Administrative Code: 641 IAC Chapter 77 - Local Boards of Health
Iowa Public Health Leadership Academy (PHLA)
The Iowa Public Health Leadership Academy is a collaborative effort between the University of Iowa College of Public Health and the Iowa Department of Public Health. The Academy provides information and training to local board of health and local board of supervisor members to effectively meet the requirements of their roles.
The Academy has hosted fourteen webinars on various public health topics and operational functions. Webinar topics included:
- Advancing Policy in Public Health
- Confidentiality/HIPAA/Conflict of Interest
- Contracts
- Ethics and Decision Making in Public Health
- Financial Management
- Health Equity: Why it Matters and How to Achieve It
- Overview of Governmental Public Health System
- Performance Improvement
- Public Health Law in Iowa
- Putting Local in the Local Public Health:Local Roles and Responsibilities
- Strategic Framing (Communication & Storytelling)
- Strategic Planning
- Succession Planning
- Workforce Development
To view the recorded sessions, visit Iowa Public Health Leadership Academy.