431.045 Public Health Officer

(1) The Director of the Oregon Health Authority shall appoint a Public Health Officer who shall be responsible for the medical and paramedical aspects of the health programs within the Oregon Health Authority. The Public Health Officer must be a physician licensed under ORS chapter 677 who:

(a) Is certified by the American Board of Preventive Medicine or the board of a primary care clinical specialty such as internal medicine, family medicine or pediatrics; and

(b) Has at least two years of experience working for a local, state or federal public health authority.

(2) The Public Health Officer:

(a) Is responsible for the duties imposed by 42 U.S.C. 300ff-133(g) and 300ff-136;

(b) May appoint a local health officer for a county that has transferred the responsibility of the local public health authority in the county to the Oregon Health Authority under ORS 431.382 (Transfer of local public health authority’s responsibility) ; and

(c) May adopt rules to carry out the officer’s responsibilities under this subsection. [1971 c.650 §2; 1973 c.358 §5; 1977 c.267 §18; 1987 c.618 §1; 2001 c.900 §143; 2007 c.71 §119; 2009 c.595 §533; 2013 c.61 §1; 2015 c.318 §7; 2019 c.321 §2]

Source: Section 431.045 — Public Health Officer; appointment; qualifications; duties; rules , https://www.­oregonlegislature.­gov/bills_laws/ors/ors431.­html (accessed May 26, 2025).