The Department of Health functions as both the state regulatory agency and the territorial public health agency for the U.S. Virgin Islands.
As set forth by the Virgin Islands Code, Titles 3 and 19, the Department of Health (DOH) has direct responsibility for conducting programs of preventive medicine, including special programs in Maternal and Child Health, Family Planning, Environmental Sanitation, Mental Health, and Drug and Substance Abuse Prevention. DOH also is responsible for health promotion and protection, regulation of health care providers and facilities, and policy development and planning, as well as maintaining the vital statistics for the population.
DOH provides Emergency Medical Services, issues birth and death certificates, performs environmental health services, and conducts health research and surveys. The Department is also responsible for regulating and licensing health care providers and facilities, and assumes primary responsibility for the health of the community in the event of a disaster.
The department employs providers and administrators from every aspect of health care, and manages several programs, both federal and local; to meet the needs of the community it serves.