43.70.575 - Definitions. - Washington Statutes

Definitions.

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout RCW 43.70.570 through 43.70.580.

     (1) "Capacity" means actions that public health jurisdictions must do as part of ongoing daily operations to adequately protect and promote health and prevent disease, injury, and premature death. The public health improvement plan identifies capacity necessary for assessment, policy development, administration, prevention, including promotion and protection, and access and quality.

     (2) "Department" means the department of health.

     (3) "Local health jurisdiction" means the local health agency, either county or multicounty, operated by local government, with oversight and direction from a local board of health, that provides public health services throughout a defined geographic area.

     (4) "Health outcomes" means long-term objectives that define optimal, measurable, future levels of health status, maximum acceptable levels of disease, injury, or dysfunction, or prevalence of risk factors in areas such as improving the rate of immunizations for infants and children to ninety percent and controlling and reducing the spread of tuberculosis and that are stated in the public health improvement plan.

     (5) "Public health improvement plan," also known as the public health services improvement plan, means the public health services improvement plan established under RCW 43.70.520, developed by the department, in consultation with local health departments and districts, the state board of health, the health services commission, area Indian health services, and other state agencies, health services providers, and residents concerned about public health, to provide a detailed accounting of deficits in the core functions of assessment, policy development, and assurance of the current public health system, how additional public health funding would be used, and to describe the benefits expected from expanded expenditures.

     (6) "Public health" means activities that society does collectively to assure the conditions in which people can be healthy. This includes organized community efforts to prevent, identify, preempt, and counter threats to the public's health.

     (7) "Public health system" means the department, the state board of health, and local health jurisdictions.

[1995 c 43 § 2.]

Notes: Effective dates -- Contingent effective dates -- 1995 c 43: See note following RCW 70.05.030.

Severability -- 1995 c 43: See note following RCW 43.70.570.