A. The department, in addition to other powers and duties vested in it by law, shall:
1. Protect the health of the people of the state.
2. Promote the development, maintenance, efficiency and effectiveness of local health departments or districts of sufficient population and area that they can be sustained with reasonable economy and efficient administration, provide technical consultation and assistance to local health departments or districts, provide financial assistance to local health departments or districts and services that meet minimum standards of personnel and performance and in accordance with a plan and budget submitted by the local health department or districts to the department for approval, and recommend the qualifications of all personnel.
3. Collect, preserve, tabulate and interpret all information required by law in reference to births, deaths and all vital facts, and obtain, collect and preserve information relating to the health of the people of this state and the prevention of diseases as may be useful in the discharge of functions of the department not in conflict with chapter 3 of this title and sections 36-693, 36-694 and 39-122.
4. Operate sanitariums, hospitals or other facilities assigned to the department by law or by the governor.
5. Conduct a statewide program of health education relevant to the powers and duties of the department, prepare educational materials and disseminate information as to conditions affecting health, including basic information to promote good health on the part of individuals and communities, and prepare and disseminate technical information concerning public health to the health professions, local health officials and hospitals. In cooperation with the department of education, the department of health services shall prepare and disseminate materials and give technical assistance for the purpose of educating children in hygiene, sanitation and personal and public health, and provide consultation and assistance in community organization to counties, communities and groups of people.
6. Administer or supervise a program of public health nursing, prescribe the minimum qualifications of all public health nurses engaged in official public health work, and encourage and aid in coordinating local public health nursing services.
7. Encourage and aid in coordinating local programs concerning control of preventable diseases in accordance with statewide plans that shall be formulated by the department.
8. Encourage and aid in coordinating local programs concerning maternal and child health, including midwifery, antepartum and postpartum care, infant and preschool health and the health of schoolchildren, including special fields such as the prevention of blindness and conservation of sight and hearing.
9. Encourage and aid in coordinating local programs concerning nutrition of the people of this state.
10. Encourage, administer and provide dental health care services and aid in coordinating local programs concerning dental public health, in cooperation with the Arizona dental association. The department may bill and receive payment for costs associated with providing dental health care services and shall deposit the monies in the oral health fund established by section 36-138.
11. Establish and maintain adequate serological, bacteriological, parasitological, entomological and chemical laboratories with qualified assistants and facilities necessary for routine examinations and analyses and for investigations and research in matters affecting public health.
12. Supervise, inspect and enforce the rules concerning the operation of public bathing places and public and semipublic swimming pools adopted pursuant to section 36-136, subsection I, paragraph 10.
13. Take all actions necessary or appropriate to ensure that bottled water sold to the public and water used to process, store, handle, serve and transport food and drink are free from filth, disease-causing substances and organisms and unwholesome, poisonous, deleterious or other foreign substances. All state agencies and local health agencies involved with water quality shall provide to the department any assistance requested by the director to ensure that this paragraph is effectuated.
14. Enforce the state food, caustic alkali and acid laws in accordance with chapter 2, article 2 of this title, chapter 8, article 1 of this title and chapter 9, article 4 of this title, and collaborate in enforcing the federal food, drug, and cosmetic act (52 Stat. 1040; 21 United States Code sections 1 through 905).
15. Recruit and train personnel for state, local and district health departments.
16. Conduct continuing evaluations of state, local and district public health programs, study and appraise state health problems and develop broad plans for use by the department and for recommendation to other agencies, professions and local health departments for the best solution of these problems.
17. License and regulate health care institutions according to chapter 4 of this title.
18. Issue or direct the issuance of licenses and permits required by law.
19. Participate in the state civil defense program and develop the necessary organization and facilities to meet wartime or other disasters.
20. Subject to the availability of monies, develop and administer programs in perinatal health care, including:
(a) Screening in early pregnancy for detecting high-risk conditions.
(b) Comprehensive prenatal health care.
(c) Maternity, delivery and postpartum care.
(d) Perinatal consultation, including transportation of the pregnant woman to a perinatal care center when medically indicated.
(e) Perinatal education oriented toward professionals and consumers, focusing on early detection and adequate intervention to avert premature labor and delivery.
21. License and regulate the health and safety of group homes and behavioral-supported group homes for persons with developmental disabilities. The department shall issue a license to an accredited facility for a period of the accreditation, except that a licensing period shall not be longer than three years. The department is authorized to conduct an inspection of an accredited facility to ensure that the facility meets health and safety licensure standards. The results of the accreditation survey shall be public information. A copy of the final accreditation report shall be filed with the department of health services. For the purposes of this paragraph, "accredited" means accredited by a nationally recognized accreditation organization.
B. The department may accept from the state or federal government, or any agency of the state or federal government, and from private donors, trusts, foundations or eleemosynary corporations or organizations grants or donations for or in aid of the construction or maintenance of any program, project, research or facility authorized by this title, or in aid of the extension or enforcement of any program, project or facility authorized, regulated or prohibited by this title, and enter into contracts with the federal government, or an agency of the federal government, and with private donors, trusts, foundations or eleemosynary corporations or organizations, to carry out such purposes. All monies made available under this section are special project grants. The department may also expend these monies to further applicable scientific research within this state.
C. The department, in establishing fees authorized by this section, shall comply with title 41, chapter 6. The department shall not set a fee at more than the department's cost of providing the service for which the fee is charged. State agencies are exempt from all fees imposed pursuant to this section.
D. The department may enter into contracts with organizations that perform nonrenal organ transplant operations and organizations that primarily assist in the management of end-stage renal disease and related problems to provide, as payors of last resort, prescription medications necessary to supplement treatment and transportation to and from treatment facilities. The contracts may provide for department payment of administrative costs it specifically authorizes.