An Official Website of the Commonwealth of Kentucky
Services
Department for Aging and Independent Living (DAIL)
The Aging and Disability Resource Center provides information about and referrals to aging and disability information, programs and services.
Seniors, Adults,
Department for Public Health (DPH)
An apostille/certificate of authentication is a document intended for international use and is obtained only through the Kentucky Secretary of State's Office.
Seniors, Adults, Children, Families, Licenses & Certifications, Online Services,
Office of the Secretary (OS)
Office of Vital Statistics Kentucky birth order information.
Adults, Children, Families, Licenses & Certifications, Online Services,
Boarding homes are required to register to do business in Kentucky. The annual registration fee for a boarding home is $100. To apply to operate a boarding home, contact the Food Safety Branch at (502) 564-7181.
Providers, Licenses & Certifications,
There are two services programs available: National Family Caregiver Support Program and Kentucky Family Caregiver Program.
The Food Safety Branch may issue a certificate of free sale to Kentucky food processing establishments regulated by and in good standing with state Department of Public Health.
The Health Care Access Branch is responsible for registering charitable health care organizations in Kentucky as required by Kentucky Revised Statute (KRS) 216.940 - 216.945, The Kentucky Charitable Health Care Services Act (KCHCSA) and its companion law KRS 304.40-075.
Department for Community Based Services (DCBS)
The Child Care Assistance Program provides subsidies to help families pay for child care.
Children, Families,
The Department for Community Based Services supports individuals building their child care business. These resources help future providers understand the policies needed to operate a quality program.
Providers,
Department for Income Support (DIS)
Child Support Enforcement in the Department for Income Support provides assistance to parents with minor children seeking financial support from a noncustodial parent. Every child has a legal right to financial support from both parents.
Children, Families, Online Services,
Chronic conditions such as diabetes, arthritis or high blood pressure make life difficult for many. Learning to manage these conditions can make life easier. The Department for Aging and Independent Living is offering help through the Chronic Disease Self Management Program.
Use this form to request a personal appearance from DCBS Commissioner's Office officials.
Seniors, Adults, Children, Families, Online Services,
Many licensure boards in Kentucky require continuing education on HIV/AIDS (please check with your licensure board for specifics).
Office of Vital Statistics Kentucky death certificate order information.
The Kentucky Diabetes Prevention and Control Program health initiative is designed to reduce new cases of type 2 diabetes and the sickness, disability and death associated with diabetes and its complications.
Seniors, Adults, Families, Providers,
Disability Determination Services makes disability determinations on behalf of the commissioner of Social Security for residents of Kentucky.
Adults, Children,
Training Finder Real-time Affiliate Integrated Network (TRAIN) is the premier learning resource for public health professionals. TRAIN allows users to find and register quickly for many courses, track personal learning with online transcripts, access valuable resources including course reviews and participate in discussions to improve the TRAIN learning experience.
The Kentucky Electronic Death Registration System (KY-EDRS).
Online Services,
The Electronic Plan of Correction (ePOC) application will eliminate the need for paper-based communication between Certified Nursing Home providers and the Office of Inspector General when submitting and reviewing plans of correction.
We appreciate your interest in employment with the Kentucky local health departments. To be considered for employment opportunities, an application must be completed. A resume will not substitute.
Adults, Providers,
The environment plays an important role in health and human development. Where we live, learn, work, and play can all affect our health. EnviroHealthLink, Kentucky Environmental Public Health Tracking Network, provides information and data about how the environment affects human health. Our new website helps to answer questions about air quality, drinking water, cancer, and a wide variety of other topics.
Adults, Children, Families,
Office for Children with Special Health Care Needs (OCSHCN)
Statewide early intervention program providing services to children with developmental disabilities from birth to age 3 and their families.
The food manufacturing program oversees establishments that formulate and process foods for wholesale distribution and grain storage facilities and food storage warehouses.
Commission for Children with Special Health Care Needs (CCSHCN)
In collaboration with the Department for Community Based Services, the Office for Children with Special Health Care Needs operates two programs specifically developed to support Kentucky's child welfare system: the Medically Complex Foster Care Program and the OCSHCN Nurse Consultant Foster Care Support Program.
Children,
Department for Family Resource Centers and Volunteer Services (DFRCVS)
FRYSC CORPS is an AmeriCorps program partnering with the Division of Family Resource and Youth Services Centers to help students who struggle to read well and support FRYSCs.
The Hart-Supported Living program provides funds for supports to help Kentuckians with disabilities live in their homes and communities and avoid institutionalization.
Seniors, Adults, Children,
The Kentucky Health Access Nurturing Development Services (HANDS) program is a voluntary home visitation program for any new or expectant parents. HANDS supports families as they build healthy, safe environments for the optimal growth and development of children.
Adults, Children, Families, Providers,
The Kentucky Health Alert Network (HAN) is the primary communication and collaboration tool for public health in Kentucky. HAN is a secure, Internet-based system that allows government and non-government public health personnel to instantly contact and work with each other. HAN provides simple tools for issuing alerts, sharing and reviewing documentation and retrieving contact information. The system is administered by DPH at the state level and at the local level by health department public health preparedness planners. To learn more about becoming a participant please contact us.
The Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) Designation program of the Health Care Access Branch within the Department for Public Health is the program designated by the federal Health Resources and Service Administration to assess and submit shortage designation data based on required federal criteria. HPSAs may have shortages ofprimary medical care, dental or mental health providers and may be urban or rural areas, population groups or medical or other public facilities. More than 36 federal programs depend on the shortage designation to determine eligibility or as a funding preference, including scholarship/loan repayment programs and Medicaid incentive funding programs.
Families, Providers,
The Healthcare-Associated Infection (HAI)/Antibiotic Resistance (AR) Prevention Program aims to eliminate and prevent HAIs and AR organisms.
Seniors, Adults, Children, Families, Providers,
Help Me Grow Kentucky is a free, confidential call center for families, health providers and community service providers offering developmental screening and connections to local services and learning activities that support healthy growth for children from birth to age 5.
Help Me Grow Kentucky es un centro de llamadas gratis y confidencial para familias, proveedores de servicios de salud y proveedores de servicios comunitarios ofreciendo exámenes de desarrollo y conexión a servicios locales y actividades de aprendizaje que apoyan el crecimiento saludable para niños de 0 a 5 años.
The Kentucky Hemophilia Program, administered by the Office for Children with Special Health Care Needs (OCSHCN), provides ongoing care to children and adults with hemophilia and other rare bleeding disorders.
The intent of the Kentucky HIV/AIDS Care Coordinator Program (KHCCP) is to help provide prompt, consistent, continued quality care and services to HIV-infected individuals and their families. Care coordinators in seven regional sites assess needs and provide services. These regional ensure statewide access to local services.
Department for Medicaid Services (DMS)
The Home and Community Based (HCB) Waiver program provides services and support to elderly people or children and adults with disabilities to help them to remain in or return to their homes.
Home-based processing regulation and registration.
The Homecare Program provides supports and services for daily needs as well as coordination among caregivers and provider agencies to help adults at risk of institutional care remain in their own homes.
Seniors,
The John Chafee Independence Program is a federally funded program designed to teach youth aged twelve (12) and over who are in out of home care or who were formerly in care, the skills they need to be self-sufficient when they leave care. These services are provided to all eligible youth regardless of permanency goals. To sign up for an independent living program contact the Independent Living Coordinator in your region.
Seniors, Adults, Families,
The J-1 Visa Waiver programs in the Health Care Access Branch assists the public and private health sectors in qualifying to employ an international medical graduate who may obtain a waiver of his or her two-year home residency requirement by serving in a health professional shortage area or a medically underserved area/population for a period of three years.
KASPER is a controlled substance prescription monitoring system designed to be a source of information to assist practitioners and pharmacists with providing medical and pharmaceutical patient care using controlled substance medications.
Studies show that children who attend programs with high-quality early learning environments have better math, language and social skills. Kentucky All STARS is Kentucky's expanded five-star quality rating and improvement system for type I, type II and certified family child care homes.
The Kentucky National Background Check Program offers an enhanced pre-employment background check screening through an electronic interface called KARES (Kentucky Applicant Registry and Employment Screening System). This background check process enables automatic abuse registry checks, including ongoing registry checks after employment date, as well as fingerprint based background checks through Kentucky State Police (KSP) and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI).
KBSR is a state-mandated surveillance system designed to provide information on the incidence, prevalence, trends and possible causes of stillbirths, birth defects and disabling conditions. KBSR collects information on children from birth to age five diagnosed with any structural, functional or biochemical abnormality. The system relies primarily on hospital, vital statistics and laboratory reporting. KBSR is administered by the Department for Public Health in the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.
The Kentucky Electronic Public Health Record System (KY-EPHRS) is an Internet-based, centralized public health data repository health care professionals can use to record public health data for Kentucky's 4 million residents. The network was developed to implement and analyze public health programs and comply with state and federal public health reporting requirements.
Kentucky's Food Code reflecta the 2013 FDA Food Code.
In the event of a large-scale public health emergency, the need for surge capacity of health and medical systems would be critical. The K HELPS program will allow public health officials to register health professionals, apply emergency credentialing standards and allow for the verification of the identity, credentials and qualifications of prospective volunteers. As of August 2009, the system is now also being used to register providers who are interested in providing the H1N1 (swine) flu vaccine in the fall.
The Kentucky Infants Safe and Strong (KISS) award program recognizes hospitals taking steps to implement evidence-based practices to reduce infant mortality risks and to earn Baby-Friendly Hospital designation by Baby Friendly USA.
The Kentucky Opioid Response Effort (KORE) seeks to establish a comprehensive, targeted response to Kentucky’s opioid crisis by expanding access to a full range of high-quality, evidence-based opioid prevention, treatment and recovery support services.
The Kentucky Outreach and Information Network (KOIN) newsletter is an informative newsletter developed for KOIN members to help stay informed on preparedness efforts in Kentucky with an emphasis on vulnerable populations.
The Kentucky Prescription Assistance Program (KPAP) began in October 2008 to help Kentuckians locate free or reduced-cost prescription drugs. The KPAP helps the public access prescription drug programs offered by the drug manufacturers, discount drug programs and discount pharmacy programs. These programs offer prescription drugs free or at reduced costs for qualifying individuals and/or their families.
The Kentucky State Regional Infection Prevention and Epidemiology (K-STRIPE) committee is a group of professionals from different health care fields dedicated to preventing healthcare-associated infections. These professionals volunteer their time and expertise to create collaborative prevention efforts across the state.
Kentucky Strengthening Families (KYSF) is a partnership of more than 20 organizations dedicated to promoting protective factors in services and supports for children and their families.
Kentucky Transitional Assistance Program (KTAP) is the monetary assistance program established using federal funds from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grant. KTAP provides financial and medical assistance to needy dependent children in Kentucky and the parents or relatives with whom the children live. KTAP also helps families find jobs or get training that leads to a job.
Kentucky Transitions helps people move out of nursing facilities or institutions and into their own homes.
The Kentucky Integrated Child Care System (KICCS) Portal is a web-based application used by child care providers, Quality Enhancement Initiative staff, STARS quality coordinators and professional development counselors.
Providers, Online Services,
Information and resources for Kentucky Immunization Registry contributors.
The KI-HIPP Medicaid program helps eligible Kentuckians pay employer-sponsored insurance premiums, the amount paid to your health insurance company for coverage.
KY-Electronic Public Health Record System is an internet-based, centralized public health data repository
LIHEAP is a federally-funded program to help eligible low-income households meet their home heating and/or cooling needs.
Office of Vital Statistics Kentucky marriage and divorce order information.
Adults, Families, Licenses & Certifications, Online Services,
Medicaid is a program for families and individuals who have income and resources within the established guidelines. Resources only apply to the aged, blind or disabled population within the established guidelines.
Seniors, Adults, Children, Families,
This program administers payment for medically necessary therapeutic foods, formulas, supplements and low-protein modified food products, with the exception of over-the-counter products, for all verified Kentucky residents of the Commonwealth of who do not qualify for another insurance program or whose insurance coverage is exhausted or denied. The program works with durable medical equipment providers, pharmacies and university metabolic centers to assist those with inborn errors of metabolism and genetic conditions to receive life-saving treatments as funds allow.
The Michelle P. Waiver is a home- and community-based waiver program of the Kentucky Medicaid program developed as an alternative to institutional care for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities. The waiver allows individuals to remain in their homes with services and supports.
Seniors, Adults, Providers,
Microprocessed food products may be sold at farmers markets, certified roadside stands, or from the microprocessor's farm. Applications for microprocessors are accepted by the Food Safety Branch.
MIIW services are community-based, in-home waiver services for an individual who is dependent on a ventilator 12 hours or greater per day, meets High Intensity nursing care services 24 hours per day and would otherwise require nursing facility level of care in a hospital-based nursing facility.
The National Background Check Program was launched March 2018 as a one-stop shop for all required child care background checks. All child care staff must have background checks completed in accordance with 922 KAR 2:280
Children, Families, Providers,
The Health Care Access Branch works cooperatively with the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) to bring health care professionals to underserved communities. NHSC recruits fully trained and licensed health care clinicians to provide primary health care services in NHSC-approved sites in health professional shortage areas.
The Office for Children with Special Health Care Needs manages the state Newborn Hearing Screening Program which ensures all newborns receive a hearing screening before leaving the hospital. Newborn hearing screening is the first step in identifying infants with hearing loss and prescribing follow-up care.
Children, Providers,
The Newborn Screening Program helps determine if a baby has certain health disorders. A healthy newborn can have serious metabolic or genetic disorders that cannot be detected without specific screening. If left undetected and untreated, these disorders can lead to slow growth, blindness, brain damage or possibly death.
The Nutrition Program for the Elderly provides one nutritionally balanced home-delivered or congregate dining-style meal per day. Additional services include nutrition screening, education and counseling.
The Kentucky Oral Health Program has a long and proud history with the Department for Public Health. In 1928, Kentucky became only the third state in the country to establish a public dental health program.
Participant Directed Services (PDS) allows people eligible for Medicaid waiver services to choose their own providers for nonmedical waiver services. Provider choice gives members greater flexibility in the delivery of services received.
Participant Directed Services (PDS) allows waiver participants to choose a provider for their non-medical waiver services, giving them greater freedom of choice, flexibility and control over their supports and services. Participants can choose to direct some or all of their non-medical waiver services. PDS used to be known as the Consumer Directed Option.
Provides grants to eligible applicants providing a program or service to address the childhood cancer needs of the commonwealth.
The Personal Care Attendant Program helps severely physically disabled adults at risk of being institutionalized to live in their own homes and communities by subsidizing costs of personal attendant services.
Adults,
The Kentucky Physical Activity Program is part of the state Department for Public Health, Health Promotions Branch. This program promotes physical activity for all Kentuckians and helps local health departments address community physical activity needs.
The Public Health Prenatal Program assures access to basic prenatal services through the LHD directly or by referral for those women who meet the following eligibility guidelines: income at or below 185 percent federal poverty level who are uninsured (no private insurance, no Medicaid, no Medicare).
Early detection of HIV infection is vital to saving lives and minimizing the effects of AIDS. Of the 3,600 AIDS cases diagnosed in the last 10 years 24 percent were infected and infectious for 10 or more years before ever being testing.
Adults, Families, Providers,
No person shall begin construction, construct or substantially change, alter or reconstruct any public swimming and bathing facility until plans and specifications, with supporting design data as required for the proposed review of plans, have first been submitted in quintuplicate (five sets) to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services through the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction and have been approved in writing by all state and local agencies having jurisdiction. All construction shall be in accordance with approval plans. The front page of the plans shall contain the name of the swimming and bathing facility, location by city and county, name of its owner and name of the engineer, architect or person preparing the plans.
Kentucky's Tobacco Quitline, 1-800-QUIT NOW, offers one-on-one proactive counseling for tobacco users who are ready to quit using tobacco products.
This program inspects and registers all facilities that use radiation producing machines. The program inspects mammography facilities under a cost reimbursement contract with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to assure facilities meet the requirements of the Mammography Quality Standards Act of 1992. The program also certifies operators of sources of radiation to ensure compliance with existing statutes and regulations.
The Kentucky Radon Program is involved in education and awareness programs for citizens including exhibits and staff presentations, responding to phone and e-mail inquiries and distributing radon awareness literature.
The Epi Rapid Responders are a small group of multi-disciplinary investigators who mount immediate, comprehensive response to reports of disease outbreaks. Teams ordinarily include a nurse, environmentalist and epidemiologist at the local health department level.
Local health departments issue permits to qualified retail food operations like grocery stores, restaurants, temporary operations, concessions, food trucks and micro markets.
The Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) provides training and part-time employment opportunities to low-income people 55 and older.
The Kentucky Department for Public Health (DPH) is investigating a growing number of cases of severe lung injury related to e-cigarette use, also known as vaping.
The primary goal of the Kentucky Sexually Transmitted Disease/Human Immunodeficiency Virus Counseling and Testing program is to prevent the spread and resulting effects of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV infection.
Sobriety Treatment and Recovery Teams (START) START is an intensive child welfare program for families with co-occurring substance use and child maltreatment delivered in an integrated manner with local addiction treatment services.
The Kentucky State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) provides information, counseling and assistance to seniors and disabled individuals, their families and caregivers. This service is provided at no charge by local, well-trained counselors.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) contains large quantities of medicine and medical supplies to protect the public in the event of a public health emergency such as a terrorist attack, flu outbreak or natural disaster. The SNS is designed to supplement and resupply hospitals and state/local public health agencies when an emergency overwhelms local resources anywhere and at any time within the U.S. or its territories.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, helps people with little or no money buy food for healthy meals at participating stores. SNAP benefits increase a household's food buying power when added to the household's money.
Supports for Community Living (SCL) is a Kentucky Medicaid program home- and community-based waiver providing an alternative to institutional care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. SCL allows individuals to remain in or return to the community in the least restrictive setting.
The Tattoo, Body Piercing and Ear Piercing Program registers tattoo artists and body/ear piercers and certifies studios.
The Adolescent Health Initiatives (AHI) section of the Divison of Women's Health works in collaboration with mulitiple partners across the commonwealth to promote adolescent health. We are dedicated to improving the health well being of Kentucky's youth so that they will have every opportunity to grow up safe and healthy and develop into successful adults.
Each year more than 8,000 Kentuckians die of illnesses caused by tobacco use.
Adults, Families,
The TBI Trust Fund was established to provide flexible funding and support to those with brain injuries. The fund supports supplemental community-based efforts to meet the special needs of each individual with a brain injury.
The state TB prevention program aims to elliminatei TB as a public health issue.
The WIC programs provides nutrition assistance and support to pregnant and breastfeeding women and families with children from birth to five years old.
The WIC Vendor Management Section screens applications from authorized retailers, contracts with vendors to accept WIC food instruments, processes vendor claims and monitors retail grocers and drug stores for compliance with federal and state requirements. This site provides WIC vendors, vendor applicants and WIC coordinators easy access to needed forms and information pertaining to the WIC Vendor Management Section.
The Kentucky Women's Cancer Screening Program of the Department for Public Health provides breast and cervical screening and follow-up services, professional education, public education, outreach, quality assurance and surveillance.