Division of Public Health
Office of Policy and Practice Alignment (OPPA)
The Office of Policy and Practice Alignment has a
primary responsibility to build partnerships and to provide leadership and
support through the development and recommendations of statewide policy
related to the Wisconsin Public Health System. Major functions include: statewide development and
implementation of program practices and policies related to community
health and prevention; communicable disease and preparedness;
environmental and occupational health; emergency medical services; primary
care services; and public health planning and information. Additional
functions include the development of federal grant applications and
overall coordination of the Prevention Block Grant; evaluation of existing
and proposed legislative proposals; and ensuring that quality emergency
medical care, primary health care, and public health programs and services
are available for the citizens and visitors of Wisconsin.
The Office has two units and five Regional Offices.
The Regional Offices
of the Division of Public Health primarily function as information
pipelines through which central office and local public health departments
communicate. They have the responsibility to plan, promote, implement and
evaluate comprehensive state and local public health programs and
services, and provide professional development opportunities. They
also provide technical assistance and consultation for Community
Health Assessments and Community Health Plans.
The Policy Section will develop and implement Division-wide
strategic planning, including developing and tracking the State Health
Plan (Healthiest
Wisconsin 2010/2020); address health disparities; encourage the use of evidence-based
practices to promote health equity; promote a sufficient, competent and
diverse public health workforce; coordinate the work of the Regional
Office nursing consultants; promote evidence-based policy and nursing
practice throughout the public health system; prepare Wisconsin's public
health system for national accreditation; promote continuous quality
improvement for the state and local public health agencies; facilitate
partnerships, build coalitions and lead systematic state and community
level planning to improve the health of all jurisdictions.
The Office is
also responsible for overseeing Primary Health Care Programs, including
the Primary Care Cooperative Agreement, the
Health
Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) designation program, the federal
National
Health Service Corps (NHSC) and
J-1 Visa Waiver
programs, and the Health Care for the Homeless program.
The Office has key relationships with all Bureaus in the Division of
Public Health, other Divisions within the Department of Health Services and other state agencies, local
health departments, community-based organizations, private voluntary
organizations, and academic and health care provider networks.
Return to DPH Programs and Services
Last Revised:
October 22, 2012 |
