Division of Environmental and Health Services Regulation

To protect the public health of the people of Rhode Island, to promote quality health care, and to provide regulatory and support functions as follows:

Facilities Regulation

• Ensures that health care facilities provide health care services in accordance with prevailing community standards of care through a focused, responsive, uniform enforcement program.

Health Professions Regulation

• Enforces professional standards to ensure the highest quality health care, to license health care professionals, and to conduct responsive complaint investigations and disciplinary proceedings.

Health Systems Development

• Administers the state’s health planning and licensure functions such as certificate of need, hospital conversion, change in effective control, initial licensure, and tertiary care services.

Managed Care Regulation

• Protects health care consumers and providers by enforcing regulatory standards related to health plans and utilization review agencies.

Drinking Water Quality

• Monitors, regulates, and provides assistance to operators of public drinking water supply systems, private wells, water bottlers, and public swimming pools.

Food Protection

• Assures the safety of the food supply through inspection and plan review of food establishments, food recalls, and investigation of complaints and foodborne disease outbreaks.

Beach Monitoring

• Minimizes public health risks associated with swimming at public beaches through effective water quality monitoring, public notification, and working with communities and the Department of Environmental Management to identify and eliminate sources of contamination.

Radiation Control

• Assures the safe use of radioactive materials, x-ray equipment, and tanning equipment in order to prevent excessive exposure to both ionizing and non-ionizing radiation through a targeted enforcement program.

License 2000

• Supports all licensure activities for health care professionals, health care facilities, and all other entities licensed by the Department.

Rules and Regulations

• Promulgates all Department regulations in accordance with statutory mandates.