Ocean County Health Department phone, WIC, vaccines, clinics and environmental health help
The Ocean County Health Department serves residents from its main Toms River office and several northern and southern program locations. The department provides clinical services, immunizations, WIC, communicable-disease control, environmental health, maternal-child programs, public-health preparedness, substance-use program coordination and animal services.
The main number is 732-341-9700. Because Ocean County stretches from northern communities such as Jackson and Lakewood to southern communities around Stafford and Manahawkin, confirm which site handles your service before making the drive.
What does the Ocean County Health Department do?
Ocean County Health Department is the county public-health agency serving Ocean County, New Jersey. Its work spans communicable-disease control, clinical care, vaccines, WIC, maternal-child programs, environmental inspections, public-health preparedness, addiction-service coordination and county animal facilities.
OCHD clinics include HIV counseling/testing and treatment, hepatitis C testing and treatment, TB services, STD clinic, PrEP, eye screening and cancer-screening programs.
WIC, Early Intervention, Special Child Health Services and childhood lead-poisoning prevention are part of OCHD’s maternal-child health work.
Registered environmental health staff inspect restaurants and other regulated facilities, review new septic plans, investigate nuisances and handle potable-well issues.
Ocean County Health Department phone, address and hours
The main Health Department office is at 175 Sunset Avenue in Toms River. The county also operates northern, southern and program-specific locations for WIC, Early Intervention, preparedness and animal services.
| Contact | Official detail | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Main OCHD office | 175 Sunset Avenue, Toms River, NJ 08754 | General public-health and program routing. |
| Main phone | 732-341-9700 | Ask for the specific division or extension you need. |
| Toll-free | 800-342-9738 | Alternative county-wide Health Department contact. |
| Hours | Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-4:30 PM | Clinic and program schedules may be narrower. |
| Southern site | 333 Haywood Road, Manahawkin, NJ 08050 | Southern Ocean County programs including WIC on published clinic days. |
| Northern health site | 1771 Madison Avenue, Lakewood, NJ 08701 | Northern-county program access including WIC. |
Free and low-cost OCHD clinic services
OCHD states that many clinic services are free, while some others are offered at low cost. Call the clinic-services division before visiting because appointment schedules, eligibility and charges differ by program.
OCHD operates a sexually transmitted disease clinic. Ask about appointment availability, current testing options and confidentiality procedures.
Services include HIV counseling/testing, HIV/AIDS care and treatment and HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP.
The department lists free hepatitis C counseling/testing and a separate hepatitis C treatment clinic.
OCHD provides tuberculosis clinic services. Call before visiting because testing and clinical follow-up can require specific appointment timing.
Eye screening is one of the services OCHD currently identifies as free to the community.
OCHD participates in the New Jersey Cancer Education and Early Detection program for qualifying uninsured or underinsured residents.
Vaccines available through Ocean County Health Department
OCHD’s current immunization program serves residents six months and older for seasonal influenza and pneumonia vaccination. The department also offers several adult and occupational vaccines.
Seasonal flu vaccine is available for residents 6 months and older. OCHD says it accepts health insurance and provides seasonal immunization at no cost for uninsured or underinsured residents.
Pneumonia vaccination is offered, including Prevnar 20 for qualifying residents over age 50 under the program’s current criteria.
OCHD lists occupational hepatitis B, pre-exposure rabies, shingles and Tdap vaccination among its current immunization services.
Know whether the visit is for seasonal flu, Tdap, shingles, hepatitis B, rabies pre-exposure or another available vaccine.
Ask about vaccine inventory, age eligibility, appointment schedule and the clinic location being used that day.
OCHD accepts insurance for applicable immunizations and uses a sliding-fee approach for some uninsured or underinsured services.
A current vaccine record can help staff confirm what you have already received.
WIC phone, locations and appointment planning
Ocean County WIC uses a dedicated county-wide number: 732-370-0122. The program operates sites in Toms River, Lakewood and Manahawkin, with extended Wednesday hours at several locations.
| WIC location | Address / phone | Published schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Toms River | 175 Sunset Ave., Toms River · 732-370-0122 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8:00 AM-4:30 PM; Wed 10:30 AM-7:00 PM. |
| Northern / Lakewood | 1771 Madison Ave., Lakewood · 732-370-0122 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8:00 AM-4:30 PM; Wed 10:30 AM-7:00 PM. |
| Lakewood-Seagull | 1328 River Ave., Lakewood · 732-370-0122 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8:00 AM-4:30 PM; Wed 10:30 AM-7:00 PM. |
| Southern / Manahawkin | 333 Haywood Road, Manahawkin · 732-370-0122 | Wednesday 10:30 AM-7:00 PM. |
WIC supports eligible pregnant and postpartum participants, infants and young children with nutrition benefits, nutrition education, breastfeeding assistance and healthcare referrals.
Clinic hours and appointment availability differ by location. Use the same 732-370-0122 number to confirm where your appointment will be handled.
Use 732-370-0122 and tell staff your ZIP code so they can route you to the most practical clinic location.
WIC appointments generally involve identity, residence and income or benefit documentation, but confirm the current New Jersey checklist before your appointment.
Nutrition assessment and eligibility steps can require the pregnant participant, infant or child to be present.
Do not send income documents, benefit information or identification to an unofficial directory website.
Food inspections, septic plans, wells and public-health complaints
Ocean County Environmental Health is a major part of OCHD. Registered Environmental Health Specialists and Public Health Investigators regulate or investigate food businesses, recreational bathing, body art, tanning, youth camps, new septic plans, lead hazards, public-health nuisances, animal facilities and potable wells.
Consumer Health handles retail-food inspections, floor-plan review, mobile food establishments, farm markets, fairs and festivals under New Jersey’s food code.
OCHD specifically lists septic systems and new septic-plan review among Consumer Health responsibilities. Call before beginning a regulated installation or plan review.
Private potable-well concerns and applicable environmental-health issues are part of the division’s jurisdiction.
Environmental staff inspect recreational bathing facilities and investigate complaints under applicable New Jersey health rules.
Body-art establishments and tanning facilities fall within Consumer Health inspection and complaint responsibilities.
OCHD investigates public-health nuisance complaints within its jurisdiction and coordinates enforcement when necessary.
How to request Ocean County Health Department records
For public records held by the Health Department, Ocean County directs requesters to OCHD through New Jersey’s Open Public Records Act, or OPRA. This route is especially relevant for environmental records and other public agency documents.
Environmental-concern record requests should be sent directly to the Ocean County Health Department rather than the county’s general records office.
OPRA is not a substitute for obtaining confidential personal clinical records. Contact the specific OCHD clinic or program for patient-record instructions.
Birth, death and marriage certificates are handled through the appropriate New Jersey local registrar or state vital-record system, not through a general OCHD OPRA request.
Describe the environmental, inspection or other agency record precisely enough for staff to locate it.
Ocean County lists OPRARequest@OCHD.org and an official OCHD request form for Health Department records.
Protected health information follows different privacy and authorization rules.
A clear date range, property or establishment name, address and document type can make a public-record request easier to process.
Free pet rabies clinics and Ocean County animal facilities
OCHD operates animal facilities in Jackson and Manahawkin. Both provide adoptions and hold free rabies vaccination clinics for cats and dogs by appointment.
| Facility | Contact | Rabies clinic |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Ocean County Animal Facility | 615 Freemont Ave., Jackson · 732-657-8086 | 1st and 3rd Wednesday, 10:30 AM-noon. |
| Southern Ocean County Animal Facility | 360 Haywood Road, Manahawkin · 609-978-0127 | 2nd and 4th Wednesday, 10:30 AM-noon. |
Social support and substance-use service navigation
OCHD also helps connect county residents with behavioral-health, food, clothing, healthcare, medication-delivery, financial-benefit, home-care, addiction, recovery, homelessness, veteran and family-support resources.
For social-support navigation during business hours, current OCHD updates list 732-341-9700 ext. 7240.
Ocean County residents without health insurance seeking substance-use-disorder services can contact OCHD for assessment and referral to contracted community treatment services.
What to bring to Ocean County Health Department
The correct documents depend on the program. Call first if your visit involves eligibility, clinical testing, WIC, environmental review or public records.
Map to Ocean County Health Department in Toms River
The main office is at 175 Sunset Avenue in Toms River. WIC, animal services and other programs also operate at separate county locations, so do not assume every appointment takes place at the main building.
Official Ocean County public-health links
Use official OCHD and New Jersey sources for appointment availability, forms, current fees, eligibility and regulatory requirements.
Ocean County Health Department FAQs
What is the Ocean County Health Department phone number?
The main Ocean County Health Department phone number is 732-341-9700. The toll-free number is 800-342-9738.
Where is Ocean County Health Department located?
The main office is at 175 Sunset Avenue, Toms River, New Jersey 08754.
What are the Ocean County Health Department hours?
The main OCHD office lists Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, and is closed Saturday and Sunday. Individual clinics may have different schedules.
Does Ocean County Health Department offer WIC?
Yes. Ocean County WIC can be reached at 732-370-0122 and operates sites in Toms River, Lakewood and Manahawkin.
Does Ocean County Health Department give vaccines?
Yes. OCHD currently offers seasonal flu and pneumonia vaccines plus occupational hepatitis B, pre-exposure rabies, shingles and Tdap. Eligibility and cost vary by vaccine.
Does OCHD offer STD and HIV testing?
Yes. Clinic Services lists an STD clinic, HIV counseling and testing, HIV/AIDS care and treatment and HIV PrEP among current services.
Who handles restaurant and septic questions in Ocean County?
Ocean County Health Department Environmental Health handles retail food matters and new septic-plan review within its jurisdiction. Call 732-341-9700 ext. 7416 for environmental-health routing.
How do I request Ocean County Health Department public records?
Ocean County directs Health Department public-record requests, including environmental-concern records, directly to OCHD through its OPRA process.
Does Ocean County offer free pet rabies shots?
Yes. OCHD’s Jackson and Manahawkin animal facilities offer free rabies vaccination clinics for cats and dogs by appointment on published Wednesday schedules.
Is Ocean County Health Department an emergency room?
No. OCHD provides public-health and clinic services but is not an emergency department. For a life-threatening medical emergency, call 911.