Duties and powers of the Department of Health.

It is the duty of the Department of Health to:

(1) Assess the public health status and needs of the state.

(2) Administer and enforce laws and rules relating to sanitation, control of communicable diseases, illnesses and hazards to health among humans and from animals to humans, and the general health of the people of the state.

(3) Coordinate with federal, state, and local officials for the prevention and suppression of communicable and other diseases, illnesses, injuries, and hazards to human health.

(4) Provide for a thorough investigation and study of the incidence, causes, modes of propagation and transmission, and means of prevention, control, and cure of diseases, illnesses, and hazards to human health.

(5) Provide for the dissemination of information to the public relative to the prevention, control, and cure of diseases, illnesses, and hazards to human health.

(6) Act as registrar of vital statistics.

(7) Manage and coordinate emergency preparedness and disaster response functions to: investigate and control the spread of disease; coordinate the availability and staffing of special needs shelters; support patient evacuation; ensure the safety of food and drugs; provide critical incident stress debriefing; and provide surveillance and control of radiological, chemical, biological, and other environmental hazards.