Pennsylvania Department of Health is the health department for the state of Pennsylvania. It is a cabinet-level agency that was established in 1905, and later modified by the Administrative Code of 1929. In 1996, the requirement for the Secretary to be a physician was eliminated and the position of Physician General was created.

Mission The Department of Health utilizes community-based strategies to reduce serious illnesses, injuries, and deaths from major health threats, tobacco-related diseases, infectious diseases, and accidental injuries. Its mission has evolved to address the changing landscape of public health, providing programs and services aimed at promoting healthy behaviors, preventing injury and disease, and ensuring the safe delivery of quality healthcare for all Pennsylvania citizens.

Secretaries Name Dates served Appointed by Samuel Gibson Dixon 1905–1918 Samuel W. Pennypacker Edward Martin 1919–1923 William Cameron Sproul Charles H. Miner 1923–1927 Gifford Pinchot Theodore B. Appel 1927–1935 John Stuchell Fisher Edith MacBride-Dexter 1935–1939 George Howard Earle John J. Shaw 1939–1941 Arthur James Alexander H. Stewart 1942–1945 Harry W. West 1945–1947 Edward Martin Norris W. Vaux 1947–1951 James H. Duff Russell E. Teague 1951–1955 John S. Fine Berwyn F. Mattison 1955–1957 George M. Leader Charles L. Wilbar 1957–1967 Thomas W. Georges 1967 Raymond P. Shafer Ellsworth R. Browneller 1970–1971 J. Finton Speller 1971–1974 Milton Shapp Leonard Bachman 1975–1979 Gordon K. MacLeod 1979 Dick Thornburgh H. Arnold Muller 1979–1987 N. Mark Richards 1987–1991 Bob Casey Sr. Allan S. Noonan 1992–1995 Peter J. Jannetta 1995–1996 Tom Ridge Daniel F. Hoffman 1996–1999 Robert S. Zimmerman 1999–2003 Calvin B. Johnson 2003–2008 Ed Rendell Everette James 2008–2011 Eli Avila 2011–2012 Tom Corbett Michael Wolf 2012–2015 Karen Murphy 2015–2017 Tom Wolf Rachel Levine 2017–2021 Alison Beam (Acting) 2021–2022 Keara Klineparter (Acting) 2022 Denise Johnson (Acting) 2022–2023 Debra Bogen 2023–Present Josh Shapiro

See also

List of Pennsylvania state agencies

References

External links Pennsylvania Department of Health