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Long Beach Health Department Marks 120 Years of Service During National Public Health Week
By Staff Writer
Published on Mon, Apr 6, 2026
The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services is marking a major milestone this year: 120 years of service.
As part of National Public Health Week, April 6 through 12, 2026, the City is celebrating the anniversary, taking a moment to look back at how public health work in Long Beach has evolved over more than a century.
Public health efforts in Long Beach began in the 1890s with the creation of a public health board. In 1906, Dr. Harriman Jones became Long Beach’s first part-time health officer, operating early services out of City Hall on Pine Avenue. Priorities focused on controlling infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, diphtheria and whooping cough, along with improving food safety.
As Long Beach grew, so did the department’s role. In the 1920s and 1930s, sanitation programs and food inspections expanded. When smallpox cases were reported in 1926, the department quickly organized a large vaccination effort, distributing more than 50,000 immunizations within weeks and helping prevent a wider outbreak.
After the 1933 Long Beach earthquake damaged water and sewer systems, public health staff worked with regional partners to maintain sanitation and prevent waterborne disease.
The department also played an early role in addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 1980s and continues that work today through its HIV Care and Coordination Clinic, where most patients have achieved undetectable viral loads.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the department notably helped distribute more than 334,000 vaccines and over one million tests to residents. Today, it still provides about 4,200 vaccinations each year, including COVID, flu shots and various childhood vaccines.
The Long Beach Health Department has received national recognition as well, including accreditation from the Public Health Accreditation Board in 2016. It is also one of only three city-operated health departments in California and is known for its innovative efforts in both crisis response and long-term community health.
With an ever-evolving workload, hundreds of public health professionals in Long Beach support community health, emergency preparedness, housing and homeless services, violence prevention, substance use services, infectious disease response and more. Their work also includes planning for public health needs during emergencies and major events, from extreme weather to large gatherings such as the Grand Prix of Long Beach and the upcoming 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Health Department is expected to present its annual State of Health Report at an upcoming City Council meeting in April. The report reviews health trends in Long Beach and helps guide future planning.
Community members who want to support local public health efforts can also contribute to the Health and Human Services Fund through the Long Beach Community Foundation as part of the Together for a Healthier Long Beach campaign.
