The Right Channel for Every Question
department-of-health.org/ is editorial — we cannot answer questions about your health, file HIPAA complaints, issue vital records, take restaurant complaints, or process WIC applications. This page sets out exactly what we can help with, what we cannot, and where to send each kind of question so you reach the right desk on the first try.
Do not email us. Call 911 for any medical emergency. Poison Control 1-800-222-1222 (24/7). 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — call or text 988. SAMHSA helpline 1-800-662-4357. CDC-INFO 1-800-232-4636. Veterans Crisis Line — call 988 then press 1, or text 838255.
What We Can Help With
- Corrections to any contact detail, fee, address, phone number, URL, or procedure on the site
- Reports of broken links or missing pages
- Privacy and data-rights requests under CCPA/CPRA, VCDPA, CPA, CTDPA, TDPSA, FDBR, OCPA and other state privacy laws
- Cookie preferences and Global Privacy Control questions
- Accessibility issues and reports of barriers using assistive technology
- DMCA copyright notices and counter-notices
- Press inquiries about the site, methodology, or editorial decisions
- Editorial questions about specific entries, methodology, or sourcing
What We Cannot Help With
- Medical questions about your health — see a licensed clinician
- Legal questions about your situation — consult a licensed attorney
- HIPAA complaints — file with HHS Office for Civil Rights at hhs.gov/ocr
- Vital records issuance, expediting, or sealed-record release — that’s the state vital records office
- Restaurant inspection complaints — that’s local or state health department where the food was consumed
- Hospital, nursing home, ASC, or home health complaints — that’s the state survey agency
- Medicare or Medicaid fraud reports — call HHS-OIG at 1-800-447-8477
- WIC applications — go to the state WIC agency or local clinic
- Immunization record requests — go to the state IIS
- FOIA / public-records requests against any agency — file with the agency itself
- Drinking water complaints — call the state primacy agency
- Adding a healthcare facility, agency, or business listing — we are not a paid directory
Channels & Response Targets
Dial-test failure
You called a phone number listed on our site and it failed (disconnected, wrong agency, dead line, voicemail-only when staffed line published). This is our top-priority correction queue.
Email: info@department-of-health.org
Subject: “Dial-test failure”
Include: page URL + number called + what happened
General correction
Wrong address, wrong fee, outdated procedure, broken link, or any other content error.
Email: info@department-of-health.org
Subject: “Correction”
Privacy & data rights
Access, deletion, correction, portability, opt-out of sale/sharing, opt-out of targeted advertising — under CCPA/CPRA, VCDPA, CPA, CTDPA, TDPSA, FDBR, OCPA, UCPA, and others.
Email: info@department-of-health.org
Subject: “Privacy rights request”
Include: state of residence + what right you’re exercising
Accessibility
A page or feature is hard or impossible to use with your assistive technology, or fails WCAG 2.1 AA in a specific way.
Email: info@department-of-health.org
Subject: “Accessibility issue”
Include: page URL + AT used + what went wrong
DMCA
Copyright takedown notice or counter-notice under 17 U.S.C. § 512.
Email: info@department-of-health.org
Subject: “DMCA notice” or “DMCA counter-notice”
Include: all six required elements
Cookie settings
Change your cookie preferences or ask about specific tracking technologies on the site.
Email: info@department-of-health.org
Subject: “Cookie inquiry”
Or: use the “Cookie settings” link in the footer
Press & media
Background, comment, or interview request.
Email: info@department-of-health.org
Subject: “Press inquiry”
Include: outlet + deadline + topic
Editorial / methodology
Question about how a specific page was researched or sourced.
Email: info@department-of-health.org
Subject: “Editorial question”
Where to Send Things We Cannot Handle
| If you have… | Send it to | Direct contact |
|---|---|---|
| A medical question | A licensed clinician | Your physician, urgent care, or a free clinic |
| A medical emergency | 911 / Poison Control / 988 | 911 / 1-800-222-1222 / 988 |
| A legal question | A licensed attorney | State bar lawyer-referral panel |
| A HIPAA complaint | HHS Office for Civil Rights | hhs.gov/ocr |
| A Medicare or Medicaid fraud report | HHS-OIG fraud hotline | 1-800-447-8477 / oig.hhs.gov |
| A vital records request | State vital records office | State DOH page on this site (or VitalChek where supported) |
| An immunization record request | State Immunization Information System (IIS) | State DOH page on this site |
| A restaurant inspection complaint | Local or state health department | State DOH page (some states county-level) |
| A hospital, nursing home, or ASC complaint | State survey agency (typically inside state DOH) | State DOH page on this site |
| A long-term care complaint | State Long-Term Care Ombudsman + state survey agency | State DOH page on this site |
| A WIC application | State WIC agency or local WIC clinic | State DOH page on this site |
| A drinking water complaint | State drinking water primacy program (or EPA where state lacks primacy) | State DOH page on this site |
| A communicable disease report (clinician) | State or local health department, 24/7 disease line | State DOH page on this site |
| A foodborne illness report | Local health department where food was consumed | State DOH page on this site |
| An adverse drug, vaccine, or device event | FDA MedWatch / VAERS | fda.gov/safety/medwatch / vaers.hhs.gov |
| A public-records (FOIA) request | The agency holding the records, not us | State DOH page lists state records officer |
| A Care Compare or quality question | CMS Care Compare | medicare.gov/care-compare |
| A Joint Commission accreditation event | The Joint Commission | jointcommission.org |
| A federal disaster or public health emergency | HHS ASPR | aspr.hhs.gov |
| A general public health question | CDC-INFO | 1-800-232-4636 / cdc.gov |
What We Need Before Email
- Page URL the issue is about (full URL from your address bar)
- Brief description of what’s wrong or what you’re requesting
- For dial-test failures: phone number called + what happened
- For privacy rights requests: your state of residence + which right
- For accessibility issues: assistive technology + browser
- For DMCA: all six required elements (see DMCA Policy)
Do not send PHI (Protected Health Information), Social Security Numbers, dates of birth, or other sensitive data through unencrypted email. We do not need them. If a privacy or rights request requires identity verification, we will follow up with a secure method.
Postal Mail
If you must send postal mail, use the email address first to confirm the appropriate handling. We do not publish a postal address for routine correspondence to limit physical-mail abuse and to encourage faster electronic handling.
Have an Issue or Correction?
Email info@department-of-health.org with a clear subject line. Dial-test failures get 48-hour turnaround.
📧 info@department-of-health.org