Foundational Public Health Services

Foundational Public Health Services (FPHS) are a set of core public health services that every Washington resident should be able to rely upon, no matter where they live. These are critical, life-protecting services that form the backbone of the governmental public health system. Authorized by Washington state law, these services help Snohomish County communities prevent disease, prepare and respond to health threats, promote healthy environments and support long-term community wellbeing.

“Like public safety (fire, police), public utilities (power, water), and other public infrastructure (roads, sewers), there is a foundational level of public health services that must exist everywhere for services to work anywhere,” the Washington State Department of Health says.

FPHS funds support these kinds of services:

Preventing, tracking and responding to disease outbreaks
Ensuring clean water and food safety
Providing accurate health data for decision-making
Coordinating emergency preparedness across agencies
Delivering accurate and timely information to the media and the public

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Foundational Public Health Services are organized into two major categories. Foundational Programs include communicable disease control; chronic disease and injury prevention; environmental public health; maternal, child and family health; and vital records and health statistics. Cross-Cutting Capabilities include assessment and data systems; emergency preparedness and response; communications; policy development and support; community partnership development; and leadership and organizational competencies.

These foundational services are delivered collaboratively by local health jurisdictions such as the Snohomish County Health Department, the Washington State Department of Health, The State Board of Health, and Tribal governments and Indian health programs. The State Legislature has provided core funding for FPHS services since the 2017-2019 budget cycle. In Snohomish County, these funds account for 24 percent of the health department’s budget.

Foundational Public Health Services: Essential to Protecting the Health of Snohomish County Residents (PDF)

How Foundational Public Health Services Are Utilized At The Local Level (PDF)

In Snohomish County, FPHS funds are used:

to track the spread of STIs (sexually transmitted infections) to protect those most at risk of infection
to provide hepatitis C testing in the community to connect people with treatment and prevent serious liver damage
to create a new county health code that is easier to access and understand and that will lead to more effective environmental health regulation
to conduct more investigations into complaints about failing septic systems
to create a culturally relevant campaign to boost MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine rates