§26. Contractual agreement on establishment and maintenance of parish health unit

           A. The governing body of a parish may contract, or mutually agree on an annual basis, with the Louisiana Department of Health on or before November 1 of any calendar year, for the establishment and/or partial maintenance of the parish health unit and a full-time health officer. In such case the parish shall provide housing for said health unit. The governing body of the parish may appropriate and disburse funds for the support of the unit jointly with state and/or federal funds as furnished by the Louisiana Department of Health within the terms of a state fiscal year budget having the approval of both the parish and state.

           B. The parish health officer shall be appointed in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter and shall, if classified, be in the state classified service. As a prerequisite of said contract, the parish health officer shall be subject to all state laws and regulations and orders of the state health officer and the department. Notwithstanding any provisions of this Chapter, the employees of the parish health unit, including the parish health officer, may, at the option of the parish, be employed as parish or municipal employees in which case their salaries and all benefits shall be paid in full by the parish, and they shall be under the direction and control of the parish but subject to the general supervision of the state health officer through the parish health officer. In all other respects they shall be parish or municipal employees.

           Acts 1976, No. 346, §1. Amended by Acts 1978, No. 786, §5, eff. July 17, 1978.