IL SB2578

Director of Public Health can now be either a licensed physician or a person with administrative experience in public health at local, state, or national level, subject to education and experience requirements.

If Director is not a physician, a Medical Director must be appointed who is a licensed physician and reports directly to the Director.

Medical Director (when Director is not a physician) oversees hospital and health care facility regulation, emergency services, ambulatory surgical treatment centers, health care professional regulation, patient safety initiatives, and disease prevention and outbreak management.

Non-physician Director candidates must have either a master's degree in public health plus 5 years of administrative public health experience, or a graduate degree in a related field (public administration, nursing, environmental health, community health, or health education) plus 5 years of administrative public health experience.

Assistant Director of Public Health must have administrative experience in public health work; effective upon becoming law.