Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 368f - District Departments of Health
Section 19a-244. (Formerly Sec. 19-109). - Qualifications, term and duties of director of health. Employees.

On and after October 1, 2010, any person nominated to be the director of health shall (1) be a licensed physician and hold a degree in public health from an accredited school, college, university or institution, or (2) hold a graduate degree in public health from an accredited school, college or institution. The educational requirements of this section shall not apply to any director of health nominated or otherwise appointed as director of health prior to October 1, 2010. The board may specify in a written agreement with such director the term of office, which shall not exceed three years, salary and duties required of and responsibilities assigned to such director in addition to those required by the general statutes or the regulations of Connecticut state agencies, if any. Such director shall be removed during the term of such written agreement only for cause after a public hearing by the board on charges preferred, of which reasonable notice shall have been given. No director shall, during such director's term of office, have any financial interest in or engage in any employment, transaction or professional activity that is in substantial conflict with the proper discharge of the duties required of directors of health by the general statutes or the regulations of Connecticut state agencies or specified by the board in its written agreement with such director. The board shall submit such written agreement to the Commissioner of Public Health upon such director's appointment or reappointment. Such director shall serve in a full-time capacity and act as secretary and treasurer of the board, without the right to vote. Such director shall give to the district a bond with a surety company authorized to transact business in the state, for the faithful performance of such director's duties as treasurer, in such sum and upon such conditions as the board requires. Such director shall be the executive officer of the district department of health. Full-time employees of a city, town or borough health department at the time such city, town or borough votes to form or join a district department of health shall become employees of such district department of health. Such employees may retain their rights and benefits in the pension system of the town, city or borough by which they were employed and shall continue to retain their active participating membership therein until retired. Such employees shall pay into such pension system the contributions required of them for their class and membership. Any additional employees to be hired by the district or any vacancies to be filled shall be filled in accordance with the rules and regulations of the merit system of the state of Connecticut and the employees who are employees of cities, towns or boroughs which have adopted a local civil service or merit system shall be included in their comparable grade with fully attained seniority in the state merit system. Such employees shall perform such duties as are prescribed by the director of health. In the event of the withdrawal of a town, city or borough from the district department, or in the event of a dissolution of any district department, the employees thereof, originally employed therein, shall automatically become employees of the appropriate town, city or borough's board of health. At the end of each fiscal year, each director of health shall submit a report to the Department of Public Health detailing the activities of such director during the preceding fiscal year.

(1949 Rev., S. 3880; 1969, P.A. 688, S. 2; 1971, P.A. 183; P.A. 78-303, S. 67, 136; P.A. 79-85; P.A. 82-8; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 10-117, S. 46; P.A. 16-66, S. 39; P.A. 21-121, S. 25.)
History: 1969 act replaced statement that necessary assistants and clerks be appointed subject to approval of board with specific provisions re personnel of city, town or borough health departments as employees of district health department and deleted provision that compensation be fixed by the board; 1971 act permitted health director to be “trained in public health and hold a master's degree in public health” as alternative qualification; P.A. 78-303 replaced public health council with commissioner of health services; P.A. 79-85 added provision re written agreement with director setting term of office and duties in addition to those required by state law or public health code; P.A. 82-8 specified that district health departments must hire full-time employees of town, city or borough which joins or forms the district department where previously part-time employees were included by implication through use of term “personnel” without reference to type of employment; Sec. 19-109 transferred to Sec. 19a-244 in 1983; P.A. 93-381 replaced commissioner of health services with commissioner of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 10-117 provided that on and after October 1, 2010, any person nominated to be director of health shall be a licensed physician with a degree in public health or hold a graduate degree in public health, deleted former training and experience requirements and exempted persons appointed or nominated to be director of health prior to October 1, 2010, from revised educational requirements; P.A. 16-66 replaced provision re director to devote entire time to performance of duties with provision re director not to have financial interest in or engage in employment, transaction or professional activity in substantial conflict with proper discharge of duties, added provision re director to serve in full-time capacity and made technical changes, effective July 1, 2016; P.A. 21-121 replaced references to “Public Health Code” with references to “regulations of Connecticut state agencies”, added provision re board to submit written agreement to Commissioner of Public Health upon director's appointment or reappointment and added provision re director of health to submit annual report to Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 2021.

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