Just returned from the 100th Anniversary Celebration - Joey to answer your question  the State Public Health Lab in every state is the cornerstone of all clinical laboratory medicine in the state -- they are a reference laboratory for the hospital &amp; private laboratories- they regulate laboratories for both state and federal standards -- they are included in the bioterrorism and chemical terrorism activities in a state and help to train and maintain expertese of clinical laboratory personnel ---among a bunch of other things.  I am proud to have worked among this highly skilled and knowlegable cadre of individuals.