Message from Dr Haught

Dr. Karen Haught M.D., M.P.H.

You come in contact with Public health each day and you might not know about


At work: requiring protective clothing, encouraging, tobacco-free workplaces
At school: providing immunization services, advocating for healthy school meals
OR At home : promoting lead-free homes and ensuring safe drinking water

From the time we’re born, and even before, public health touches our lives in countless ways every day.

Our Department’s dedicated professionals and staff are working behind the scenes to keep us all safe and healthy through the delivery of quality public health services throughout Tulare County.

Our mission is to protect, improve, and optimize the health and well-being of the people in Tulare County.  This means providing you and your family with investigations, preventive activities, and health information to prevent contagious diseases, injuries, and chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer and their risk factors: tobacco use, poor nutrition,  and inadequate physical activity. 

We are committed to being a helpful resource to every individual in the county and we have created this website to provide information and links for nearly every health concern. Included are the most popular health topics, current health warnings and advisories, food inspections, and school health resources.  We aim to present the public with the information and resources necessary to pursuing and achieving healthy lives.   We welcome your partnership and look forward to working within your communities to improve the health of all people in Tulare county.  Together, we can all help to ensure a safer and healthier Tulare County.

We welcome your suggestions and comments.


Dr. Karen Haught  M.D., M.P.H.

Karen Haught, MD, MPH  is the Health Officer for the Tulare County Department of Public Health. As Health Officer, she is responsible for overseeing all public health functions including surveillance and control of both communicable and non-communicable diseases, and of health protection (including against bioterrorism).