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The mission of the Del Norte Healthcare District is to promote a collaborative approach to personal and community health through education, prevention, and healthcare services to residents of Del Norte County. 

The vision of the Del Norte Healthcare District is to be responsive to community needs and ensure that generations of County residents enjoy optimal health through the delivery of wellness services. 

A special district is a local governmental agency that delivers public services to a specific area. They are most often established by residents to supply local services in areas not being served by another service provider. In California, there are 58 counties, 481 cities and over 3,361 special districts, exclusive of school districts. Special districts provide critical services such as fire protection and emergency response, are governed by a board of directors and have defined boundaries in which they provide services and facilities. Special districts must have a statutory authority in order to be established. This authority can take the form of a generic statute which applies to all special districts of that type or may be formed by a special act tailored to the unique needs of a specific area. In Del Norte County, there are 20 special districts providing healthcare, water, wastewater, fire protection, recreation and other services.

Healthcare districts are independent public agencies, authorized under the Local Health Care District Law (California Health and Safety Code Section 32000 et seq.). The law was originally established as the Local Hospital District Law, under which the districts provided hospital and related healthcare services. Today these districts provide a range of health-related services and programs that benefit communities and their residents.

The majority of the Del Norte Healthcare District revenues come from taxes (secured property tax, unsecured property tax, and timber) and rental income from other tenants at the Wellness Center. Some of the larger Wellness Center expenses include USDA loan repayment, equipment repair, and maintenance; other expenses include special projects, professional fees, wages and insurance. 

The District prepares and adopts a final budget on or before June 30th of each fiscal year. After the budget is approved, the appropriations can be added to, subtracted from or changed only by Board resolution. The Board approves purchase amounts through budget hearings or subsequent budget transfers.