The Department of Health is responsible for the state's public health system which shall be designed to promote, protect, and improve the health of all people in the state. The department shall provide leadership for an active partnership working toward shared public health goals and involving federal, state, and local governments and the private sector. It is the intent of the Legislature that the department provide public health services through the 67 county health departments in partnership with county governments, as specified in part I of chapter 154, and in so doing make every attempt possible to solicit the support and involvement of private and not-for-profit health care agencies in fulfilling the public health mission.
Fla. Stat. § 381.001