The Galveston County Health District (GCHD) is a distinct governmental entity and is unique as it oversees two major operations under two separate and distinct policy-making boards: (1) the United Board of Health appointed by Galveston county and cities to set policy for health department services and (2) the Coastal Health & Wellness Governing Board, on which the majority of members are consumers who set policy for the FQHC operations in accordance with federal requirements. Additionally, the district oversees services under three distinct tax ID's: Galveston County Health District, which funds services related to public health, animal control, financial screening for the Galveston County indigent healthcare program, and air and water monitoring services.Coastal Health & Wellness, which provides medical, dental and mental health counseling services to Galveston County residents, and Galveston Area Ambulance Authority which provides emergency and non-emergency ambulance services to contracted agencies within Galveston County.GCHD has two major operations. The first is local public health services to multiple governments. Formed under Chapter 121 of the Texas Health and Safety Code, the health district is basically a local health department that provides various public health services to the county and its 13 member cities.Examples of public health services funded with county dollars include vital statistics, food and environmental permits, animal services, public health lab, community health nursing services, etc. Additional public health services funded by state and federal dollars include: Immunizations, TB, STD/HIV, and public health preparedness activities. Services funded by City dollars include water monitoring, animal control (field and shelter)The second major operation is overseeing primary care services in two federally-qualified health centers (FQHC) called Coastal Health & Wellness (See CoastalHW.org).