Resources for Reporters
If you are a reporter seeking information from the Minnesota Department of Health, the best place to start is with one of the department's information officers.
Use the following alphabetized list of public health topics to connect with the information officer who can assist you. If you don't see a topic listed below, or you're still not sure whom to contact, please call the MDH Communications Office at 651-201-4989 or check information officer assignments by division.
| Topic | Information Officer | Phone number |
|---|---|---|
| 988/suicide | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Adverse healthcare events | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| AIDS/STIs | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Air quality | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Alcohol and drugs | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Asbestos | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Assisted living | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Asthma | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Avian flue | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Audiologists | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Background checks (nursing homes) | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Bars and restaurants | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Beaches | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Birth and death certificates | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Body art | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Breastfeeding | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Budget | Andrea Ahneman | 651-201-5195 |
| Campgrounds and camps (health issues relating to) | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Cancer | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Cannabis | Scott Smith | 651-603-1440 |
| Carbon dioxide/carbon monoxide | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Chemical exposure | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Child health | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Children with special health needs | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Chronic disease | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Climate and health | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Commissioner's Office | Andrea Ahneman | 651-201-5195 |
| Community health | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| COVID-19 | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Contaminants, environmental | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Crematoriums | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Cryptosporiasis | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Dental health | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Diabetes | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Disparities in health | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Drinking water | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Ebola | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| E. coli | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Education loan forgiveness programs | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Emergency preparedness | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Environmental health | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Facility and provider compliance | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Family health | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Family home visiting | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Family planning | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Fire arms | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Fish consumption guidance | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Fleas | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Flu and flu shots | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Food poisoning | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Food safety | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Food trucks | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Funeral homes and morticians | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Genetic/hereditary conditions | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Groundwater | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Hazardous waste | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Health access and insurance coverage | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Health economics | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Health equity | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Health insurance consumer information | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Health occupations | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Health professional shortages | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Health reform | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Health regulation | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Health statistics | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Healthcare affordability | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Healthcare facility complaints, licensing | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Healthcare facility provider compliance | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Healthcare markets | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Healthcare quality measures | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Healthcare spending, prices, utilization | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Hearing instrument dispensers | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Heart disease | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Heat exhaustion/heat stroke | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| HMO complaints | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Home healthcare licensing and complains | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Hospital bed moratorium | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Hospital complaints | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Hospital/provider data | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Immunizations/vaccinations | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Infant and childcare | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Infectious disease prevention and control | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Influenza | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Injury | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Laboratories, public health | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Lead | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Legislative initiatives | Andrea Ahneman | 651-201-5195 |
| Lice | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Lodging inspections | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Lyme disease | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Mammograms | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Managed care | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Maternal and child health | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Measles | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Mental health practitioners, unlicensed | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Minnesota All Payer Claims Database | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Minority health | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Mold | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Mortuary science | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Mosquitos and mosquitoborne diseases | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Newborn screening | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Nursing assistant registry | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Nursing facilities | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Nutrition | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Obesity | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Occupational therapists | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Opioids | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Overdoses | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Patient's Bill of Rights | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Prescription drug pricing | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Public health laboratory | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Rabies | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Radiation | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Radon | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Raw milk | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Refugee health | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Restaurant inspections | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Rural health | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Salmonella | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| School cafeterias | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| School health | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Septic tanks/sewage | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Sexual violence | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Sexually transmitted infections | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Speech language pathologists | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Smoking | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Smoking/indoor air quality | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Stroke | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Swimming pools | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Ticks/tickborne diseases | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Tobacco use | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Travel immunizations | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Tribal health | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Tuberculosis | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Uncompensated (charity) care | Garry Bowman | 651-529-5164 |
| Vaping | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Violence | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Vision and hearing | Scott Smith | 651-503-1440 |
| Wastewater surveillance | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Water safety | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| Wellhead protection | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| WIC (Women, Infants and Children) program | Scott Smith | 651-201-5806 |
| Wildfire smoke | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
| X-ray machines | Amy Barrett | 651-201-4993 |
Last Updated: 09/03/2026