The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services does not publish a general email address for patient or public inquiries. To reach DHS LA County by email or online, use the contact form at dhs.lacounty.gov/contact-us for administrative questions, and use the LA Health Portal for anything involving your medical care or health records.1Health Services Los Angeles County. Contact Us2Health Services Los Angeles County. Welcome to the LA Health Portal
DHS is the county’s safety-net healthcare system, operating four hospitals and more than 20 community health centers for over 10 million residents regardless of insurance or ability to pay.3Health Services Los Angeles County. Who We Are One quick boundary before anything else: if your question is about Medi-Cal eligibility, CalFresh, or cash aid, you want the Department of Public Social Services, not DHS.4Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services. Department of Public Social Services DHS runs the hospitals and clinics; DPSS runs the benefits programs.
The Online Contact Form Is the Main Written Channel
The form at dhs.lacounty.gov/contact-us accepts general questions and comments, and DHS asks you to allow at least two business days for a reply.1Health Services Los Angeles County. Contact Us It is appropriate for billing questions, administrative issues, feedback, and anything that doesn’t involve your clinical details.
A couple of specific email addresses do appear on county pages. DHSPORTAL@DHS.LACOUNTY.GOV is listed on the county’s job portal page for DHS,5LAC Jobs. Health Services and helpdesk@dhs.lacounty.gov handles technical requests such as internal system account applications. Neither is a patient relations address. Beyond those, DHS does not publicly list department-level email addresses for patient services or human resources, so the contact form or a direct call to the facility is the reliable path.
Use the LA Health Portal for Anything Clinical
If you already receive care through DHS, the LA Health Portal is more useful than any email channel and is built to meet federal privacy standards that regular email isn’t. Through the portal you can message your doctor’s office and expect a response within about three business days. For urgent but non-emergency concerns, eVisits return a provider response within one hour between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., seven days a week.2Health Services Los Angeles County. Welcome to the LA Health Portal
The portal also lets you view lab and imaging results, manage upcoming appointments, review and renew medications, access immunization records and doctor notes, and schedule video visits with a provider. To enroll, call (844) 804-0055 and select option 3.1Health Services Los Angeles County. Contact Us
What to Include When You Write In
Whatever channel you use, giving the right identifiers up front prevents back-and-forth. Include your full legal name and date of birth exactly as they appear on your government-issued ID. If you have a Medical Record Number from a prior visit, include that too; it appears on hospital wristbands, discharge paperwork, and appointment reminders.
If your question concerns a specific visit, add the date of service and the facility name. DHS operates four hospitals and 21 health centers across the county,6Health Services Los Angeles County. Our Locations so specifying Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, LA General Medical Center, Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, or Rancho Los Amigos helps staff locate your file. A clear subject line helps as well, something like “Billing Question – Jane Smith – LA General – 03/15/2026.”
Medical Records Requests Go Through a Separate Process
Medical records cannot be requested through the general online contact form. DHS requires a written request submitted in person, by mail, or by fax to the specific facility where you received care, using the “Authorization for Release of Protected Health Information” form from the DHS website.7Health Services Los Angeles County. Patient or Personal Representative Mail-in requests must include a copy of your government-issued ID; the ID number can be redacted.
DHS typically processes complete requests within 15 days.7Health Services Los Angeles County. Patient or Personal Representative California law sets the same 15-day deadline for copies and gives you the right to inspect records in person within five working days.8California Legislative Information. California Code HSC 123110 Federal law allows up to 30 days with a possible 30-day extension if the provider notifies you in writing,9eCFR. 45 CFR 164.524 – Access of Individuals to Protected Health Information but California’s shorter deadline controls. An incomplete or incorrectly completed form may be rejected, which resets the clock, so check the form carefully before sending.
What Copies Cost
California caps paper copy fees at $0.25 per page, or $0.50 per page from microfilm.8California Legislative Information. California Code HSC 123110 For electronic copies, federal guidance permits a flat fee of up to $6.50 as an alternative to calculating actual costs.10U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Clarification of Permissible Fees for HIPAA Right of Access When records go to an attorney or their representative, DHS charges a flat $15 fee for inspection or photocopying at the facility.7Health Services Los Angeles County. Patient or Personal Representative A provider cannot withhold your records over an unpaid bill.
Requesting Records for Someone Else
If you are a family member, attorney, or other authorized representative, you’ll use the “Authorization to Use and Disclose Protected Health Information” form rather than the standard access form.7Health Services Los Angeles County. Patient or Personal Representative It requires the patient’s signature. Mail-in requests also need a copy of the requester’s government-issued ID, and the same 15-day processing window applies.
Why DHS Routes Health Information Through the Portal
Regular email is not a secure way to send medical records, test results, or other protected health information. HIPAA sets federal standards for how providers handle this data,11U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Summary of the HIPAA Privacy Rule and those standards generally require encryption for electronic transmission. Messages inside the LA Health Portal are encrypted and compliant; a message from your personal Gmail or Yahoo account is not.
If you have to send documents outside the portal, use encrypted attachments or a secure email service, and keep sensitive details like your Social Security number or diagnosis out of the subject line and the unencrypted body of a message.
When Not to Use Email at All
Email and online forms are never appropriate for emergencies. For a medical crisis, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. Urgent but non-emergency concerns are better handled by phone or through the portal’s eVisit feature, which provides a provider response within an hour during operating hours.2Health Services Los Angeles County. Welcome to the LA Health Portal Each DHS hospital also has a main operator who can connect you directly to the right department.
If you have submitted something through the online contact form and haven’t heard back after two business days, call the facility rather than sending another email.1Health Services Los Angeles County. Contact Us Hospital help desk staff can often check the status of a pending request. Keep a copy of anything you submit digitally so you have proof of the date, which matters if you later need to escalate a delayed records response.