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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>62729</law_id><section_number>32.1-30</section_number><catch_line>Local health departments</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>15.2-534</reference><reference>15.2-629</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="32.1">Health</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="1">Administration Generally</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="5">Local Health Departments and Directors</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Each county and city shall establish and maintain a local <span class="dictionary">department</span> of health that shall be headed by a local health director. Each such local health director shall (i) be a physician licensed to practice medicine in the Commonwealth, (ii) possess a master&#x2019;s or doctoral degree in the area of public health and have at least three years of professional experience in a full-time position in either a public health agency or public health-related position, or (iii) be otherwise qualified for the position as determined by the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span>. If a local health director is not a physician licensed to practice medicine and there is no licensed physician on staff, the local health director shall enter into a consulting agreement with a licensed physician to execute prescribing duties, consult on clinical matters, and perform all other duties as requested.</p></section></text><history>1979, c. 711; 2022, c. 804.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
