The CT DPH Commissioner is the state’s top public health official, appointed by the Governor to run the Connecticut Department of Public Health and enforce the laws governing disease control, healthcare licensing, and facility oversight. Dr. Manisha Juthani has held the position since 2021.1Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. Manisha Juthani, MD, Commissioner of Connecticut Department of Public Health, Announced as Next ASTHO President
Who Dr. Manisha Juthani Is
Juthani is the first Indian American to serve as Connecticut’s public health commissioner.1Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. Manisha Juthani, MD, Commissioner of Connecticut Department of Public Health, Announced as Next ASTHO President2Yale School of Medicine. Manisha Juthani, MD3Connecticut Department of Public Health. About the Commissioner
She joined the Yale faculty in 2006, became a professor of medicine, and directed the Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program from 2012 to 2021. Her federally funded research focused on infections in older adults, pneumonia prevention, and antibiotic stewardship. Her role in Yale’s COVID-19 response led directly to her appointment as commissioner. In 2025, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials named her its 83rd president.1Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. Manisha Juthani, MD, Commissioner of Connecticut Department of Public Health, Announced as Next ASTHO President
What the Commissioner Does
The job’s authority comes mainly from Connecticut General Statutes § 19a-2a and § 19a-5. Together, they give the commissioner responsibility for the department’s operations and the power to adopt and enforce regulations, run programs, enter contracts with other states, issue licenses and permits through designated staff, conduct hearings, issue subpoenas, compel testimony, organize the department into internal divisions, advise local health directors, receive and spend federal funds, and compel local health departments to perform duties required of them by law.4Justia Law. Connecticut Code 19a-2a – Powers and Duties5Connecticut General Assembly. Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 368a – Department of Public Health
Disease Surveillance
Each year, the commissioner publishes a list of reportable diseases, emergency health conditions, and reportable laboratory findings, and distributes it to every licensed physician, physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse, and clinical laboratory in Connecticut.4Justia Law. Connecticut Code 19a-2a – Powers and Duties The office also coordinates with health authorities in other states to track epidemics and share prevention data.
Licensing and Facility Oversight
The department licenses healthcare providers and regulates hospitals, nursing homes, and other facilities. The commissioner can designate staff to sign licenses, certificates, and permits.4Justia Law. Connecticut Code 19a-2a – Powers and Duties On inspections, DPH acts as the state survey agency under contract with the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, running onsite reviews that determine whether nursing homes meet the minimum standards required to participate in Medicare and Medicaid. Facilities that fail face federal deficiency citations and can lose their certification.6Connecticut Department of Public Health. Nursing Home Inspections
Emergency Powers: What the Commissioner Can and Can’t Do
The commissioner does not declare public health emergencies in Connecticut. Under § 19a-131a, that power belongs to the Governor, who issues the declaration when conditions threaten significant loss of life or widespread disability and renews it by filing with the Secretary of the State and the clerks of both legislative chambers.5Connecticut General Assembly. Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 368a – Department of Public Health
Once the Governor declares an emergency and authorizes it, the commissioner can order individuals or groups into quarantine or isolation when there are reasonable grounds to believe they are infected with or exposed to a communicable disease. Anyone subject to such an order can appeal. The commissioner may delegate this authority to DPH employees or to local health directors acting as agents of the office. Violating an emergency order carries penalties of up to $1,000 in fines or up to one year of imprisonment.5Connecticut General Assembly. Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 368a – Department of Public Health
How Someone Becomes Commissioner
Connecticut law requires that the commissioner either be a licensed physician with public health administration experience and at least one year of graduate-level public health education, or hold a graduate degree in public health. The statute also bars the commissioner from holding any other job while in office.7Justia Law. Connecticut Code 19a-1d – Commissioner of Public Health Appointment and Qualifications
The Governor nominates the commissioner and submits the name to either chamber of the General Assembly, which refers it to its committee on executive nominations for a public review and a confirmation vote. A confirmed commissioner takes office on March 1 and serves at the Governor’s pleasure for up to four years unless reappointed.8Connecticut General Assembly. Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 46 – State Appointive Officers
How to Reach the Commissioner’s Office
The Connecticut DPH is headquartered at 410 Capitol Avenue in Hartford.9Connecticut Department of Public Health. Freedom of Information Request You can reach the Commissioner’s Office by phone at (860) 509-7101 or by email at dph.commissioner@ct.gov.10Connecticut Department of Public Health. Contact Us Public records requests under the Freedom of Information Act go through the department’s online portal at dphct.govqa.us. Formal correspondence, legal notices, and regulatory petitions should go to the Hartford headquarters by mail.