The primary responsibility of the Freehold Township Health Department is to protect the health of the citizens of the Township and to guard against the spread of contagious diseases. A Local Board of Health, which adopts policies and laws, oversees the Health Department, who is charged with providing services and enforcement as deemed necessary by the Board of Health. Other than the Township Committee, the Board of Health is one of only two bodies that have the authority to adopt policy and pass ordinances relating to their specific activities.

The Public Health Practice Standards of Performance for Local Boards of Health, N.J.A.C. 8:52 adopted in February 2003, designate specific activities to be performed by all Boards of Health. The 16 subchapters address the 10 Essential Public Health Services, public health practice, administration, staff competencies, nursing, health education and performance evaluation.

The Health Department consists of a Director of Public Health, who is a licensed Health Officer, five licensed Registered Environmental Health Specialists and support staff. Contracts for animal control, public health education, public health nursing, childhood immunizations and maternal-child health services exist with Western Monmouth Animal Control, CentraState Healthcare System and the Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey (VNACJ).

Other services provided by the Health Department include, but are not limited to:

•Inspection of restaurants, food markets, and other retail food handling establishments
•School immunization audits
•Inspection of public pools and camps
•Investigation of environmental and public health complaints
•Investigation, prevention, and control of communicable diseases
•Annual senior citizen flu and pneumovax immunization clinics
•Dog licensing and animal control
•Childhood lead poisoning investigations
•Bioterrorism preparedness planning
•Emergency response
•Environmental inspections (septic, well)

Regional inter-local agreements with Upper Freehold Township and Freehold Borough have been made to provide quality health services at minimal cost to local taxpayers.