Pennsylvania Statutes Title 16 P.S. Counties § 12009. Establishment of county departments of health

(a) As soon as possible after the authorization of the establishment of a county department of health by any of the methods provided in section 5 of this act,  1 the county commissioners or, in the case of a joint-county department of health the joint-county health commission, shall appoint a board of health in accordance with section 7 of this act,  2 and the board of health shall appoint a health director in accordance with section 8 of this act.  3 Thereafter, the county commissioners or the joint-county health commission, the board of health and the health director shall, as expeditiously as possible, take all steps necessary to prepare the department for the exercise of its powers and duties.

(b) The State Secretary of Health shall determine when a proposed county department of health is ready to exercise its powers and duties. The State Secretary of Health shall find that a county department of health is ready to exercise its powers and duties only when (1) local funds have been appropriated, (2) the organization of the county department of health has been completed, (3) personnel have been employed in accordance with the regulations of the State Department of Health, (4) required facilities and equipment have been obtained, and (5) necessary rules and regulations have been prepared by the board of health to the extent that the county department of health will be able to achieve the purposes of this act. Upon making such a finding, the State Secretary of Health shall immediately transmit a certificate of his finding to the county commissioners or, in the case of a joint-county department of health, to the joint-county health commission.

(c) Within five days after receipt of the certificate, the county commissioners or the joint-county health commission, as the case may be, shall give written notice of the finding of the State Secretary of Health to the executives or executive bodies of all the cities, boroughs, incorporated towns, and townships within the territorial limits of the county or counties which have approved the establishment of the county department of health. All notices shall be given on the same day. Thirty (30) days after the notice has been given, the county department of health shall be considered to be established and shall begin the exercise of its powers and duties.