Available information on the Health Tracking website includes:
Risks from environmental hazards such as poor outdoor air quality, chemicals in drinking water and hazardous waste sites
Adverse health effects from environmental hazards, such as asthma hospitalizations, heart attacks, selected birth defects, carbon monoxide poisoning and childhood lead poisoning

Department of Health promotes, protects and improves the health of all people in Florida. For more information, visit FL Tracking Portal or National Tracking Portal. To learn more about the Department of Health Division of Environmental Health, visit our Department of Health/Environmental Web Page.
 

Septic Systems - The objective of the onsite sewage treatment and disposal program is to provide safe and sanitary treatment and disposal of domestic and commercial sewage waste in areas not served by public sewerage systems. The goal of the program is to protect the public from the spread of infectious disease. Improperly built or maintained onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems pollute ground and surface water degrades water quality and spread disease.

Group Care Facilities - This program involves facility homes for the aged, childcare facilities, dwelling units licensed to serve clients of the Department of Children and Family Services, and schools both public and private. The Department of Health coordinates state-level requirements for physical plant, food service, limited use commercial public water system, and on onsite sewage treatment and disposal system (OSTDS) inspections for these types of facilities. Onsite inspections of these facilities also help to assure that the physical as well as the emotional needs of the citizens served by these facilities.
 

Food
- The objective of this program is to assure that the food service establishments regulated by the department are operated in a safe and sanitary manner to minimize the occurrence of food-related illnesses. Not all food establishments are regulated by our department. Many are under the jurisdiction of the (DACS) Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services or the (DBPR) Department of Business and Professional Regulation .
 

Partnership for food safety education
Local Department of Health Food Inspection
Online Food Hygiene Training Manual

None of the state or federal food regulatory agencies allow you to operate a food operation from your home. Personnel Hygiene (hand washing) is the number one cause of food borne outbreaks in our state. Even though there are three food safety regulatory agencies, a food operation is typically regulated by only one of those agencies. Most Restaurants in our state are regulated by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. You can contact them at 850-487-1395.
Most Grocery stores and convenience stores in our state are regulated by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. You can contact them at 850-245-5520. More information on Florida Department of Health Regulated Facilities can be found at: http://www.doh.state.fl.us/Environment/community/food/index.html

Department of Health personnel who work in the food hygiene program must be certified as per 64E-18, Florida Administrative Code and Chapter 381.0101 , Florida Statutes. Additional information regarding certification requirements is available from the department's internet site.

Frequently asked Questions: You may find answers to your question here.

1. Who regulates food operations?
Food Safety in Florida is regulated by one of three agencies. They are: the Department of Health, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
(i) Generally, the Department of Health regulates food service establishments located in institutional settings (such as schools, nursing homes, hospitals, correctional facilities), civic and fraternal organizations, bars and lounges that don't prepare foods, theaters that limit their food service to items customarily served at theaters (such as beverages, pop corn, hot dogs and nachos); and churches that serve the public. For more information about our food hygiene program, please visit our website at, http://www.doh.state.fl.us/environment/community/food/index.html or contact one of our local health departments or call (850) 245-4277.

(ii) The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services generally regulates whole-sale food operations, convenience stores, grocery stores, food processing operations, food storage/warehouse operation and non-alcoholic beverage operations (such as juice or smoothie bars and coffee houses). Their website is located at http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/fs/inspectn.html , and they can be reached by telephone at (850) 245-5520.

(iii) The Department of Business and Professional Regulation regulates restaurants, most mobile food vehicles and caterers, and most public food service events. Their website is located at http://www.myflorida.com/dbpr/hr/index.shtml or you can reach their Customer Contact Center by calling (850) 487-1395 or you may email them at: Call.Center@dbpr.state.fl.us.
 

2. Can I conduct a food operation from my home?
No, you can not conduct a food operation from your private residence. This prohibition applies to all of the food regulatory agencies in Florida (Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Department of Health.

3. Is my not-for-profit organization required to be licensed in order to start a food operation?
In order to provide food to the public, you must determine if a license is required. If you will provide services that are regulated by the Department of Health or the Department of Agriculture, your activities require a license. If they do not, please contact the Department of Business and Professional Regulation regarding possible licensing requirements by email or by calling (850) 487-1395.

4. I want to start a cake baking business, so what do I need to do?

Bakeries and baked goods operations are under the jurisdiction of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Please click the link for more information

5. I have an existing food operation and I want to begin to bottle and sale my product to other food operations.
An operation that sells food items to another establishment, who in turn re-sales that item to the consumer is considered wholesale operation. Wholesale operations are under the licensing and inspection authority of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. You can call them at (850) 245-5520 or click here for their licensing criteria http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/fs/permitrq.html

6. I currently have a hardware and appliance store but I would like to begin to sell some packaged food items, such as candy, potato chips, soft drinks, etc. How do I get started?
The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services generally regulates food operations that only sell packaged food items. They also regulate whole-sale food operations, convenience stores, grocery stores, food processing operations, food storage/warehouse operation and non-alcoholic beverage operations (such as juice or smoothie bars and coffee houses). Their website is located at http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/fs/inspectn.html and they can be telephone at (850) 245-5520 or you may email them at: foodinsp@doacs.state.fl.us.

7. How do I become a Certified Food Manager?
In order to become a Certified Food Manager for Department of Health regulated facilities, you must pass an examination provided by an approved provider. Click here for more information and a listing of approved providers; What is a Food Manager?.

8. Where can I take the Food Manager Certification Examination?
The locations for the certified food manager examination is determine by the examination provider. You may for more information and a listing of approved providers: What is a Food Manager? .

9. What is food worker training?
Public food worker training Food Handler Training is required of establishment licensed by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation public food service establishments

10. I would like to sell my product to at the wholesale level or to another food operation. How do I get started?
An operation that sells food items to another establishment, who in turn re-sales that item to the consumer is considered wholesale operation. Wholesale operations are under the licensing and inspection authority of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. You can call them at (850) 245-5520 or click here for their licensing criteria Retail Food Establishments Permitting Requirements.

11. How do I make a complaint about the cleanliness, employee practices, and/or sanitation of a school, daycare, hospital, nursing home, correctional facility, or other type of institutional cafeteria?
To make this complaint, click here or call one of your local health departments

12. How do I make a complaint about the cleanliness, employee practices, and/or sanitation of a restaurant?
To make this complaint, email (Call.Center@dbpr.state.fl.us) or call the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Hotels and Restaurants at (850) 487-1395 or visit the website at http://www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/consumers.html

13. I would like to make a complaint about the cleanliness, employee practices, and/or sanitation of a grocery store or convenience store.
To make this complaint, email (foodinsp@doacs.state.fl.us) or call the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Food Safety at (850) 245-5520.

14. How do I would like to report that I got sick from eating food at a food operation or food event?
Please contact one of our local health departments or send un an email to foodhygiene@doh.state.fl.us.

15. What is a temporary event?
For Department of Health regulated events, a temporary event is any event offering food service on the premises of a food service establishment approved by the Department of Health. These events are at a fixed location for a temporary period of time not to exceed any combination of 18 days within a calendar year and in conjunction with a single event or celebration.

16. How do I find out information on food borne illnesses?
Food borne illness data is routinely collected. Please click here for more information about Food Borne Illness .

Healthy Beaches- The coastal beach water samples collected by the county health departments are analyzed for Enterococci and Fecal Coliform Bacteria. High concentrations of these bacteria may indicate the presence of microorganisms that could cause disease, infections, or rashes. County health departments will issue health advisories or warnings when these conditions are confirmed. For details about the current program and a link to view this information please visit:

Florida Healthy Beaches Program (View beach water samples collected by the FL Health Department and Beach Closures)

NEW! Dangerous Parasite in Lakes and Ponds English Fact Sheet 

NEW! also in Spanish Fact Sheet

Pools - When most people think about concerns related to swimming during summertime, drowning, diving injuries, and sunburns come to mind. However, few people think about getting sick from germs found in contaminated water. Rules governing swimming pool construction and operation, which County Health Departments have been delegated the authority to review plans and issue permits.

Migrant Labor Camps - The objective of this program is to reduce the risk of communicable disease transmission and injury among migrant farm workers by establishing comprehensive and uniform procedures for permitting and inspecting migrant housing. Brochures providing an overview of the program have been produced in English Version and Spanish Version. The text from the Spanish language version is also available as a html page.

Water Lab - The Citrus County Health Department tests drinking water for the presence or absence of coliform and fecal coliform bacteria and does so according to (NELAC) National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Conference standards.

Piercing - Body piercing is an invasive procedure that presents the potential for infection.

Tanning - There are risks associated with overexposure to ultraviolet light from tanning beds and booths as there are with overexposure to sunlight. Tanning facility staff will advise you about the maximum exposure time for the particular device you will use, the operation of emergency shutoff controls, the requirement for protective eyewear, and the location of personal hygiene facilities. Tanning bed surfaces and protective eyewear must be sanitized between uses. We inspect tanning facilities twice per year to verify their safe and sanitary operation. In addition, the department developed an Indoor tanning facts brochure to better educate the public.

Limited Use Public Water Systems - This program regulates (public water systems which are not covered by the Safe Drinking Water Act), multi-family water systems, and private water systems. Definitions for these systems and statutory authorization to regulate them are found in section 381.0062 of the Florida Statutes. Chapter 64E-8 of the Florida Administrative Code establishes the rules to implement the statutes. It includes setback standards for private water systems, construction standards for multi-family water systems, and construction and operation standards for limited use public water systems. The program is implemented at the local level by the county health departments.

Drinking Water Toxics - The Drinking Water Toxics Program is responsible for coordinating state-wide groundwater sampling for chemical contamination of private drinking water supplies. Contamination monitoring helps protect the public from agricultural chemicals, industrial solvents and heavy metals. The program provides technical consultation to county health officials, state agencies and federal entities regarding human exposures from waterborne contaminants.

Super Act - The Florida Legislature created the State Underground Petroleum Environmental Response Act (SUPER Act) (Chapter 376.3071, Florida Statutes ) in response to ground water contamination resulting from leaking underground petroleum storage tanks. The SUPER Act Program is responsible for identifying areas in the state having drinking water contaminated as a result of leaking underground storage tanks, surface spills and other discharges to the environment. This program conducts well surveillance in potentially impacted areas, notifies the public of potential adverse health effects and provides assistance in obtaining alternative sources of drinking water.

Rabies Surveillance - Rabies Prevention: When human exposure has occurred we monitor possible rabies exposure through the quarantine period of animals and sometimes the collection of laboratory specimens for testing. In order to prevent the spread of rabies we work cooperatively with Citrus County Animal Control and local veterinarians to promote public education and encourage our citizens to have there animals vaccinated.

Arbovirus Surveillance:  Monitoring of sentinel chicken flocks of increases in St. Louis encephalitis in wild animals so that populations may be protected, arthropod-borne diseases such as yellow fever, malaria, and dengue fever were reduced through mosquito control programs and quarantines.

Mobile Home Parks -  This program includes mobile home parks, lodging and recreational vehicle parks, and recreational camps. The objective of this program is to minimize the risk of injury and illness in this residential environment. Of primary concern and importance are safe drinking water supply, proper sewage disposal, a safe and disease free swimming pool (where provided), and assurances that the establishment is free from garbage, harmful insects, and rodent infestations. All of these establishments are licensed annually by the department. County health departments provide direct services in the operational aspect of the program through routine inspections, plan reviews, educational programs, and enforcement actions. County health departments also investigate environmental health complaints.

---

Centers for Disease Control & Prevention CDC en Espanol	FL Dept. of Health	State Holidays	Cover Florida Access	Citrus County Web Page	Bay News 9
Citrus County Animal Control	Citrus County Mosquito Control	Seven Rivers Regional	Citrus Memorial Hospital	Health Data Charts	Hospice of Citrus County
Patient Education Center	Hernando Pasco Hospice	Map Directions	Healthcare 411	Citrus County Chronicle Online