About
ABOUT OCCHD
Public health departments play an extremely important role in improving and protecting the health of individuals and communities. Achieving accreditation helps ensure that we can deliver essential public health services to the public, such as preventing disease, ensuring access to safe food and water, immunizations, and preparing for and responding to health emergencies.
The Oklahoma City-County Health Department was one of the first public health departments in the entire nation to be awarded accreditation status by the Public Health Accreditation Board.
To achieve accreditation, the OKC-County Health Department underwent a rigorous, multi-faceted, peer-reviewed assessment process to make sure it met or exceeded a specific set of quality standards and measures. More than 125 health departments originally applied for accreditation, and the OKC-County Health Department was one of the first 11 to achieve accreditation.
HISTORY
The Oklahoma City Health Department was established in 1910 to deal with the basic sanitation and disease control problems of Oklahoma City’s rapidly growing new community. In 1939, Oklahoma County established its own badly needed health department. The two departments merged in 1954.
OCCHD currently has multiple locations around Oklahoma County, with its main headquarters located at 2600 NE 63rd Street in Oklahoma City. For more information, please see our Locations and Hours of Operation section.
HISTORY
The Oklahoma City Health Department was established in 1910 to deal with the basic sanitation and disease control problems of Oklahoma City’s rapidly growing new community. In 1939, Oklahoma County established its own badly needed health department. The two departments merged in 1954.
OCCHD currently has multiple locations around Oklahoma County, with its main headquarters located at 2600 NE 63rd Street in Oklahoma City. For more information, please see our Locations and Hours of Operation section.
Leadership
Patrick McGough, DNP
Dr. Mac
Patrick McGough, DNP, joined the leadership ranks of the Oklahoma City-County Health Department (OCCHD) in 2008. In the community he is known as Dr. Mac. He currently serves as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Health Officer of OCCHD. He also serves as the President/CEO of the Oklahoma City-County Health Department Foundation (OCCHDF). In 2024, Dr. Mac was nominated as Vice President of the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO).
Dr. McGough earned his terminal degree in nursing practice administration from Oklahoma City University (OCU) where he achieved the highest honors. He serves as adjunct professor for doctoral nursing students in the areas of Public Health, Law, Policy, Leadership, and Organizational Development, and was named 2016-17 Distinguished Alumnus by OCU.
In addition to leadership roles with the Oklahoma State Department of Human Services, and the Oklahoma State Department of Health, Dr. McGough owned and operated a thriving home health agency. During 35 years as a Registered Nurse, he garnered extensive leadership and public health experience serving in the areas of clinical health, community health, primary care, acute care, mental health, substance abuse, and hospice care. Dr. McGough is an Oklahoma Public Health Leadership Institute Fellow and received a Citation of Commendation from the State of Oklahoma for his advocacy efforts for children and young parents.
Designated by the Kresge Foundation in 2017 as an Emerging Leader in Public Health, Dr. McGough is a member of the National Association of County and City Health Officials, Big Cities Health Officials, and serves as Oklahoma’s representative to the Association of Public Health Nurses. He is active locally and nationally serving in creative, governing, executive, or member roles in the following organizations: Focus Forward OK (the Oklahoma LARC Program Advisory Committee), the Oklahoma Health Improvement Plan, the OCU Institutional Review Board, Thrive (the Central Oklahoma Campaign to Prevent Pregnancy), the KSN Executive Board, the Governor’s Healthy Aging Initiative, the Budget & Program Advisory Council to the Joint Commission on Public Health, the Community Committee of the Mercy Hospital Board, and the Data Subcommittee to the Oklahoma City-County Criminal Justice Advisory Council.
OUR MISSION
Protect health, promote wellness, prevent disease, and partner in the community.
OUR VISION
Working with the community for a healthy future.
OUR CORE VALUES
- Caring
- Service
- Excellence
- Integrity
A-Z Index
A-C
D-F
- Facility and Nuisance Complaints
- Fact Sheets
- Fair
- Farmers Markets
- Farmers Markets FAQs
- FAQs
- Fetal and Infant Mortality Review
- Diabetes FAQ
- Fight The Bite
- Emergency Contact Info
- Emergency Preparedness and Response
- Foodborne Illness
- Food Establishments
- Food Manager Certification
- Food Manufacturing
- Food Protection Education
- Food Safety & Environmental Health
- Food Warehouses
- Employee Wellness
- Epidemiology
- Events
G-I
J-L
M-O
P-R
S-U
- Schools Child Care Facilities
- School Absentee Reporting
- Seasonal Food Establishments
- Teen Health Services
- Teen Pregnancy Prevention
- Temporary Food Establishments/Special Events
- Sexual Health
- Tick Info
- Tobacco Helpline
- Sodium FAQ
- Solid Waste Disposal Trucks
- Smokefree Apartment Map
- Total Wellness
- Total Wellness English Registration
- Total Wellness Spanish Registration
- Tuberculosis Clinic
- State Fair Training
- TSET Healthy Living Program
- Students