The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) is the primary state health agency of the government of the U.S. state of Alabama. The purpose of the Alabama Department of Public Health is to provide public health "services for the improvement and protection of the public’s health through disease prevention and the assurance of public health services to resident and transient populations of the state regardless of social circumstances or the ability to pay." The ADPH Central Office, located in the state’s capital city, Montgomery, Alabama is organized into offices, bureaus, divisions, and units. There are 2000-3000 Alabama Department of Public Health employees, including central office staff, public health area officers and administrators, and county health department staff. The Department divides the state of Alabama into 11 Public Health Areas. Each Public Health Area Office is overseen by an Area Health Officer or Area Administrator. Area Offices are responsible for developing public health services and programs specific to the needs of each area. The Department provides technical support and guidance to county health departments in all Alabama counties, as well as guidance and consultation to the two independent city-county health departments in Jefferson County, Alabama and Mobile County, Alabama. The State Board of Health provides supervision to the Jefferson and Mobile county health departments which are governed by their local county board of health.