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California posts rules for local health departments; West Covina moves to finalize application and public hearing set for July 10
Summary
The California Department of Public Health published a rule package opening a path for cities to run local health departments. West Covina officials said the city will finish required documents and participate in a state public hearing on July 10 as it pursues temporary and later permanent state funding.
West Covina city officials said the state has posted a regulatory package that would let cities form local health departments and tap state public-health funding, and that West Covina will finish required materials and take part in a July 10 public hearing.
The update came June 17 as Dr. Basil, the city’s presenter on the project, told the City Council that the California Department of Public Health had “completed and approved the new local health department applications, DPH‑21‑09, released on 05/23/2025, and is now open for public comments and public hearing is scheduled on 07/10/2025.”
The council heard why the item matters: local departments could get state aid to build capacity that county health agencies sometimes cannot provide at a neighborhood level. Dr. Basil said the rule package includes a temporary 12‑month funding stream for eligible new local health departments and a path to apply for permanent funding after implementing required services and meeting accreditation standards.
City staff described the steps the state will require. The list includes a public‑health emergency operations plan, a community health assessment and a community health improvement plan, a feasibility study and long‑term strategic plan, written policies and procedures, a workforce‑development plan and a budget, among other documentation Dr. Basil read aloud to the council. He said some materials are already in progress and that staff will finalize the packet for submission once the regulation package is finalized by CDPH.
Acting City Manager provided context for the council and residents, saying the city began this work after pandemic‑era delays and local concerns about responsiveness. He told the council the city has spent several years meeting with CDPH and that the agency “performed many very careful detailed studies and analysis of the need of a new local health department.”
Council members pressed for clarity on funding and timing. Dr. Basil said state aid would be allocated on a per‑capita basis, with an initial temporary award followed by an application for permanent funding once required services are implemented. He said the state’s timeline could take a few weeks if only minor changes to the package are needed after the July 10 hearing; major revisions could trigger an additional public comment period.
The council did not vote on establishment of a department at the meeting. Staff said they will return with completed application documents and that the state hearing is open to public comment. The presentation noted that the final rule will incorporate modern public‑health standards, including measures tied to public‑health accreditation.
The city framed the effort as a long‑term project to build local capacity for disease prevention, outbreak response and community health promotion, and said it will not proceed to impose general‑fund spending for the department without later council approval.
City officials also invited residents to review the CDPH notice and to attend the state hearing on July 10. The council asked staff to post links and hearing details on the city website so residents can review the proposed regulations and submit comments before the state’s comment deadline.
