Local Health Department Participation in State-Sponsored Environmental Health Programs

Local public health departments in Wisconsin can contract with different state agencies to administer a variety of environmental health programs. Descriptions of these programs and the local health departments' contracted responsibilities, as well as a link to a statewide map, are listed below.

• Map 1: Human Health Hazard Ordinance and HFS 140 Level 

• Map 2: Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program

• Map 3: Food Safety and Recreational Licensing and Body Art Establishments

• Map 4: Retail Food Inspection Retail Food Inspection

• Map 5: Transient Non-Community Drinking Water Supply Wells 

• Map 6: Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems 

Map 1: Human Health Hazard Ordinance and HFS 140 Level 

LPHD Level 
All local health departments are required to have a full time health officer, a board of health, and provide the following five services: 

1. Communicable disease surveillance, prevention, and control 

2. Generalized public health nursing program 

3. Health promotion 

4. Disease Prevention

5. Human health hazard prevention and control 

Level I Local Health Department
In addition to the basic requirements, a level I local health department must:

• Voluntarily adhere to the framework for the generalized public health nursing program. 

• Submit the following reports: 

  • Annual report for the preceding calendar year if required by the local governing body 

  • Annual survey of data 

  • A report on activities of the health department for the preceding calendar year, including a narrative that describes the progress and performance toward achieving the objectives identified as part of its community health assessment and that are linked to the current state health plan 

• May provide any services of a level II or III health department (e.g., agent status) 

Level II Local Health Department 
In addition to the basic requirements, a level II local health department must meet all of the requirements of a level I health department, and: 

• Shall provide or arrange for at least 7 programs and services that address at least 5 health priorities in the current state health plan. 

• Voluntarily adhere to the framework for an environmental health program. o 

• May provide any services of a level III health department (e.g., agent status) 

Level III Local Health Department 
In addition to the basic requirements, a level III local health department must meet all of the requirements of a level II health department, and: 

• Shall provide or arrange for at least 14 programs and services that address at least 7 health priorities in the current state health plan. 

Human Health Hazard Ordinance 

The ordinances are used by local jurisdictions to specify how the authorities from the public health and environmental public health statutes (ch. 250 & 254 of the state statutes) are integrated into that jurisdiction's regulatory structure. Local ordinances cannot reduce the authority and responsibility of local health officers for addressing human health hazards, but they may add to what is provided by statute.

View the map (PDF, 532 KB)

Map 2: Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program 

The Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention funding is used by health departments to meet the goal of eliminating childhood lead poisoning in Wisconsin by 2010. These funds can be used to: increase the involvement of community members in childhood lead poisoning prevention activities, increase the availability of lead-safe housing for families with young children, educate parents so they have the knowledge and skills necessary to protect their children from lead hazards, increase blood lead testing of children, and provide early intervention for children with low level lead poisoning. These funds are used to target high risk children from 0-5 years of age who live or spend significant time in pre-1950 housing, live in pre-1978 housing undergoing renovation or remodeling, are enrolled in Medicaid or WIC programs, or have a sibling who has lead poisoning. The amount of funding each health department receives depends on the number of Medicaid-enrolled children and three year average of lead poisoned children. It also factors in the number of housing units built before 1940 and whether the community is a Housing and Urban Development community development block grant entitlement community. 

Certified Lead Risk Assessor/Hazard Investigator 
Local health departments that employ a certified lead risk assessor or hazard investigator conduct investigations when a child under age six years is found to have an elevated blood lead level, including an assessment of the child's home and other locations where the child spends time.

View the map (PDF, 523 KB)

Map 3: Food Safety and Recreational Licensing and Body Art Establishments 

Health departments who have a contract with the Department of Health Services to enforce applicable state administrative codes, in their jurisdiction, for the inspection and licensure of restaurants, hotels, bed and breakfast establishments, public swimming pools including water park attractions, campgrounds, and tattoo and body piercing establishments in Wisconsin. 

Food Safety & Recreational Licensing Limited Agent 
Health departments who have a contract with the Department of Health Services to provide inspection services for low risk facilities. The purpose of the limited agent is to enable health departments to build environmental health capacity so that eventually they can become full agents for the state.

View the map (PDF, 884 KB)

Map 4: Retail Food Inspection 

The local health departments that have contracts with Agriculture's Division of Food Safety (DFS) perform retail food establishment and temporary food establishment inspections on behalf of DFS. This means that they enforce the Wisconsin Food Code and other applicable state and federal regulations, obtain routine samples as well as special samples under the direction of DFS, handle consumer complaints for food-related illnesses and issues in their jurisdiction - often in consultation with DFS, provide information and licenses to persons wishing to sell food from retail locations and temporary locations within their jurisdiction, and work with DFS and the FDA to provide oversight, sampling, and recall-effectiveness evaluations during local and multiple-jurisdiction food recalls. They also provide DFS with feedback on issues and situations to allow DFS to provide state-wide guidance and facilitate program uniformity.

View the map (PDF, 304 KB)

Map 5: Transient Non-Community Drinking Water Supply Wells 

Health departments who have a contract with the Department of Natural Resources to enforce applicable state administrative codes, in their jurisdiction, for the sampling and inspections of transient non-community drinking water supply wells. A transient non-community water system serves at least 25 people at least 60 days a year. Examples of this type are systems serving taverns, motels, restaurants, churches, campgrounds, and parks.

View the map (PDF, 305 KB)

Map 6: Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems 

The Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (POWTS) are regulated by the Department of Commerce in cooperation with county agents that often are local health departments. The purpose of regulating POWTS is to protect public health and the environment. The POWTS program administered by the county health departments consists of a variety of activities including soil and site information verification, POWTS plan design review and approval, permit issuance and construction inspections. In addition, as part of the POWTS program, a county health department is expected to operate a maintenance reporting program to insure that existing POWTS are provided with regular inspection, maintenance or servicing to help insure that the POWTS is working properly and not causing a potential health hazard or nuisance. Local health departments also provide consultative and investigatory services related to the POWTS program based on requests from property owners or because of complaints received from the public.

View the Map (PDF, 304 KB)

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Last Revised: December 05, 2012