Lexington-Fayette County Health Department

What Lexington-Fayette County Health Department does

Lexington-Fayette County Health Department (LFCHD) is the local government public health agency for Fayette County, Kentucky, operating under the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government and governed by a 14-member Board of Health. The agency serves approximately 322,000+ residents through a multi-divisional structure spanning Clinical Services (immunizations, STI testing, TB), Environmental Health (food, pool, sewage, plumbing, mosquito, rabies), School Health Nursing (embedded across Fayette County Public Schools), Epidemiology and reportable disease surveillance, the HANDS maternal/child home-visiting program, Harm Reduction, WIC, Vital Statistics, and Health Education. LFCHD holds PHAB national accreditation and is the first Kentucky jurisdiction (since 1987) to require all food service establishments to be operated by a certified food safety person.

LFCHD's revenue model is hybrid: primary funding comes from tax-based appropriations from the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (fiscal year July 1 - June 30), supplemented by transactional permit fees (food service, pools, septic, tattoo, temporary vendors with tiered $60/$90/$125 fees), one-time certification fees (Food Handler $23, Food Manager $85, Pool & Spa Operators School $35), and grant disbursements including the new PATH Community Health Improvement Plan mini-grants (up to $5,000 per eligible organization, launched January 2026). Technology infrastructure comprises conventional online permit payment portals, integration with Kentucky Health Information Exchange (KHIE) for mandated electronic laboratory reporting per 902 KAR 2:020, the StateFoodSafety certification platform, Microsoft Teams and Zoom for governance meetings, and an Electronic Health Records procurement evaluation initiated in August 2023.

The agency's go-to-market is overwhelmingly direct-to-consumer and community-led: residents receive services in-person at the 650 Newtown Pike headquarters or via phone-based appointment scheduling, while regulated businesses interact through online portals and inspections. LFCHD holds flagship co-development partnerships with University of Kentucky HealthCare and Kentucky Department for Public Health, exemplified by a measles testing and post-exposure prophylaxis protocol recognized as a national gold standard. The agency is overseen by Commissioner of Health Dr. Crystal Miller, with Medical Director Dr. Steve Davis (2025 UK College of Public Health Hume Medallion recipient) and Community Programs Manager Dave Peterson heading key divisions.

Name

Lexington-Fayette County Health Department

Legal name

Lexington-Fayette County Health Department

Website

https://lfchd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Lexington-Fayette County Health Department is a PHAB-accredited local government public health agency serving ~322,000 Fayette County, Kentucky residents across clinical, environmental, school health, epidemiology, and regulatory programs, funded by tax appropriations and permit/certification fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Health Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

County/District/Local Health Departments (HLAJAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

City/Municipal Public Health Departments (HLAJAAAC), Local Public Health & Human Services Administration (BPAIACAK), School-Based & Community Women’s/Children’s Health Clinics (HLAFAJAO), Community-Based Preventive & Health Promotion Clinics (HLAFAGAO)

Keywords

• Public health services
• Environmental health regulation
• Food safety inspections
• Clinical preventive services
• Community health programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Lexington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Tax-Based Funding: Primary funding from Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government with annual budget reflected in audited financial statements (fiscal year July 1 - June 30). Overseen by Commissioner of Health reporting to Board of Health.
2. Permit & License Fees: Permit fees collected for food service establishments, public swimming pools, tattoo/body piercing establishments, hotels/motels, mobile home/RV parks, youth camps, septic systems, and other regulated facilities. Payment processed through the online permit portal.
3. Certification & Training Fees: Food Handler test ($23) and Food Manager certification ($85) fees; Pool & Spa Operators School registration ($35).
4. Temporary Food Service Permit Fees: Tiered permit fees for temporary food vendors: $60 (1-3 days), $90 (4-7 days), $125 (8-14 days); 501(c)(3) non-profits exempt from fees.
5. Vital Records Service Fees: Birth verification services provided at no charge; certified copies of birth/death certificates handled through state vital statistics office in Frankfort, KY.
6. Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) Mini-Grants: PATH (Partnerships Advancing Transformation and Health) mini-grant initiative providing up to $5,000 per eligible organization for community-led health projects aligned with CHIP priorities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Lexington-Fayette County Health Department is the local public health agency providing clinical preventive services (immunizations, STI testing/treatment, TB, WIC), environmental health regulation (food facility inspections, public pool regulation, mosquito control, rabies response, onsite sewage, plumbing plan review), vital statistics, School Health Nursing for Fayette County Public Schools, and community health programs including harm reduction and the PATH mini-grant initiative. Services are delivered through a headquarters clinic at 650 Newtown Pike, online permitting/certification portals, and embedded school-nursing and community-outreach operations across Fayette County, Kentucky.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PATH (Partnerships Advancing Transformation and Health): LFCHD's Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) mini-grant initiative investing in community partnerships and locally driven solutions addressing CHIP priority areas.
• Dr. Rice C. Leach Public Health Hero Award
• HANDS Program
• Harm Reduction Program

Products and services

• HANDS Program Maternal and child health home-visiting program (Kentucky HANDS - Health Access Nurturing Development Services) supporting families across the Commonwealth.
• Harm Reduction Program Public harm reduction and syringe exchange program operated under KRS 218A.500, providing needle exchange, safer-use supplies, and referrals.
• Health Education Community health education offering display rentals, event screenings, and free presentations on nutrition, hygiene, diabetes, and tobacco.
• School Health Nursing Services Nursing services for Fayette County Public Schools staff and students covering acute/chronic illness, injuries, medication administration, vision screening, immunization compliance, and Student Emergency Action Plans.
• Clinical Services / Public Health Clinic Walk-in and same-day-appointment clinic at 650 Newtown Pike delivering immunizations, STI/HIV testing and treatment, tuberculosis services, and reportable disease follow-up.
• STI Clinic Specialty clinic offering testing and treatment for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Hepatitis C (referral), Herpes, HIV (referral), Syphilis, and Trichomoniasis.
• W.I.C. (Women, Infants, and Children) Federal supplemental nutrition program providing benefits, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and grocery store tours to qualifying women, infants, and children.
• Vital Statistics (Birth and Death Records) Local vital statistics office registering Fayette County births, filing provisional death reports, issuing birth/death verifications, affidavits for declaration of paternity, notary services, and communicable disease affidavits.
• Environmental Health & Protection Division delivering Emergency Preparedness, Mosquito Control, Onsite Sewage Program, Rabies Control, Radon Awareness, and complaint response for bedbugs, rodents, pests, indoor air quality, sewage, or foodborne illness.
• Food Protection and Restaurant Inspections Regulatory program inspecting approximately 1,550 permitted food establishments in Fayette County under Board of Health Regulations #19, #26, #27 and state food laws, issuing green/red placards.
• Food Handler and Food Manager Certification Certification program (first required in Kentucky since 1987) requiring all food-service workers in Fayette County to hold a valid LFCHD-issued food handler card; Food Handler ($23) and Food Manager ($85) tests via StateFoodSafety.
• Temporary and Mobile Food Service Permits Permitting for temporary food vendors and mobile food units (food trucks, pushcarts); tiered fees $60 (1–3 days), $90 (4–7 days), $125 (8–14 days); 501(c)(3) non-profits exempt with documentation.
• Public Swimming Pool Program Regulation of 322 public pools and spas in Fayette County requiring at least one certified pool operator on duty; includes Pool & Spa Operators School ($35), annual inspections, plan review, and pre-opening checks.
• Onsite Sewage Program (Septic / Septic Tank Pumper) Permitting and inspection program for individual sewage disposal systems including site evaluations, design and sizing determinations, complaint investigation, and annual inspections of sewage pump trucks.
• Plumbing Plan Review Review of plans for renovation and construction of public buildings to ensure compliance with local health regulations; final food-service approval requires grease interceptor permit or waiver from LFUCG Division of Water Quality under the FOG Program.
• Permitting (Food Handler, Food Trucks, Sewage, Plumbing, Pools, Tattoo) Centralized permitting services through the Environmental Health office including Food Handler/Manager certifications, food trucks, onsite sewage, plumbing plan review, swimming pool operator certification, temporary food service, and tattoo parlor permits.
• Epidemiology / Reportable Disease Surveillance Surveillance program monitoring, preventing, investigating, and controlling infectious and communicable diseases in Fayette County; receives reports via KHIE/NEDSS and the EPID-200 form, determines infection sources, contacts exposed individuals, and provides patient education.
• Mosquito Control Surveillance, larviciding, and adulticiding program using Duet dual-action adulticide (sumithrin + prallethrin) supplied by Clarke Mosquito Control Company, with 48-hour public notification before spraying as part of the Kentucky "Fight the Bite" campaign.
• Rabies Control Rabies surveillance and response program posting Rabid Animal Placards in affected areas; Epidemiology and Environmental Health divisions follow up on bite reports to ensure exposed individuals receive post-exposure care.
• PATH Mini-Grant Program Community Health Improvement Plan mini-grant initiative (Partnerships Advancing Transformation and Health) supporting short-term community-led projects addressing Access to Care, Financial Stability, Knowledge Empowerment, and Mental Well-Being; up to $5,000 per eligible organization.

Quantifiable outcome

• Measles cases contained to single digits and single-family households during 2025 and 2026 outbreaks through collaborative protocol with UK HealthCare and KDPH (recognized as national gold standard)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• University of Kentucky HealthCare (UK HealthCare)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-development partner on infectious disease protocols. Dr. Nicholas J. Van Sickels, MD, Medical Director of Infection Prevention and Control at UK HealthCare, was honored as 2026 Public Health Hero for collaborative work creating a comprehensive measles testing and post-exposure prophylaxis protocol that has been recognized as a national gold standard. Dr. Van Sickels also serves as honored guest at Board of Health meetings.
• Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level public health authority co-developing disease response protocols with LFCHD and UK HealthCare. Provides state respiratory disease dashboard and reportable disease process guidelines. Per 902 KAR 2:020, laboratories electronically report diseases through KHIE to KDPH, with LFCHD Epidemiology unit handling local investigation.
• Fayette County Public Schools (FCPS)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEmbedded service delivery partner - LFCHD School Health Program provides School Health Nursing services to FCPS staff and students including acute illness/injury assessment, mandatory vision screening, communicable disease response, chronic disease management (diabetes, seizures, asthma, allergies), immunization record review, and medication administration. Joint medication authorization forms and physician orders used across the system.
• Zeta Phi Chapter, Inc. of Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerDuring National Nurses Week (May 12, 2026), Zeta Phi Chapter hosted a proclamation event to honor LFCHD's Public Health Nurses with formal proclamation, heartfelt remarks, and special recognition.
• Academic Institutions (Asbury University, Eastern Kentucky University, Northern Kentucky University, Sullivan University, University of Kentucky, Western Kentucky University)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHost institution for student internships and practicums across public health areas including Accreditation, Administration, Clinic (Nursing), Community Health/Health Education, Environmental Health, Epidemiology/Communicable Disease, HANDS, Preparedness, Worksite Wellness, and WIC/Dietetics. Internship/Practicum Interest Form structured for Associate/Bachelor/Master/Doctoral candidates.
• Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG) / Division of Water QualitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinal approval on plans for any food service establishment requires grease interceptor permit or waiver from Division of Water Quality, LFUCG. U.S. EPA/Kentucky consent decree led to FOG Program enforcement requiring all food service facilities to submit FOG application. Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton is also a member of the LFCHD Board of Health.
• Clarke Mosquito Control CompanycoreTechnology or IntegrationSupplier of DUET mosquito adulticide used in LFCHD's community spraying program. DUET combines sumithrin (Anvil active ingredient) and prallethrin for superior knockdown; EPA-registered for public health outdoor mosquito control; LFCHD adapted materials from Clarke for the Duet Spray Information page.
• StateFoodSafety.com (LexingtonFayette.StateFoodSafety.com)coreTechnology or IntegrationOnline certification platform provider for Food Handler and Food Manager certification programs. Tests may be taken online anytime; costs $23 (food handler) and $85 (food manager); credit card required; computer/tablet/smartphone compatible.
• Kentucky Health Information Exchange (KHIE)coreTechnology or IntegrationPer 902 KAR 2:020, KHIE is the public health reporting authority in Kentucky; laboratory results are electronically reported through KHIE to the Department for Public Health. Eligible professionals and hospitals/critical access hospitals submit public health registry data through KHIE for Electronic Laboratory Reporting (ELR) and the National Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NEDSS).

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness: Kentucky's largest local public health agency, also operating under a merged city-county governance structure and providing a comparable portfolio of clinical services, environmental health, food protection, and harm reduction across Jefferson County.
• Northern Kentucky Health Department: Multi-county district health department serving the Northern Kentucky region adjacent to Lexington, with overlapping clinical, environmental, and school health programming under the same Kentucky administrative regulations (902 KAR).
• Hamilton County Public Health (Cincinnati): County-level public health agency across the Ohio border from Kentucky, offering a directly comparable mix of clinical services, food protection inspections, environmental health, and harm reduction for a mid-sized metropolitan population.
• Franklin County Public Health (Columbus, OH): Central Ohio county health department with similar scope — clinical services, food safety inspections, school health nursing, vital records, and harm reduction — serving a comparable mid-sized metropolitan population.
• Marion County Public Health Department (Indianapolis): Indiana's largest local public health authority offering clinical, environmental, and population health programs analogous to LFCHD's portfolio, including WIC, immunizations, food protection, and epidemiology surveillance.
• Jefferson County Department of Health (Birmingham, AL): County-level public health department delivering a comparable slate of clinical services, restaurant inspections, environmental health, vital records, and disease surveillance for a mid-sized U.S. metropolitan population.
• Metro Public Health Department (Nashville): Metropolitan county health authority providing an overlapping service portfolio — primary care, immunizations, environmental inspections, school health, and epidemiology — for a comparably sized Tennessee city.
• Cincinnati Health Department: City-level public health agency providing clinical, environmental, and population health services comparable to LFCHD's scope, including school health nursing, food protection, and harm reduction programming.
• DeKalb County Board of Health (Georgia): County board of health delivering clinical services, environmental health inspections, vital records, and epidemiology programs for a metropolitan Atlanta-area population, structurally analogous to LFCHD's Board-of-Health-governed model.

Broad incumbents

• Kentucky Department for Public Health: State-level public health authority with which LFCHD partners on disease surveillance, reporting, and protocol development (per 902 KAR 2:020); provides statewide coordination and oversight that frames LFCHD's local operating context.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LFCHD
• Facebookfacebook.com/LFCHD
• Instagraminstagram.com/lexpublichealth

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lexington-Fayette County Health Department