CONTACT: Terri Timmers, Division of Public Health, (715) 365-2703

FOREST COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT PASSES REVIEW BY STATE HEALTH OFFICIALS

MADISON - Dr. Seth Foldy, State Health Officer, today announced that the Forest County Health Department has successfully passed the state’s health department review. As a result, the Forest County Health Department will maintain their Level II status.

“The hard-working staff of the Forest County Health Department help make their community a healthier and safer place to live,” said Foldy. “Their department has an actively engaged and supportive Board of Health, and does an excellent job of engaging the community to work collaboratively on priority health problems.”

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services is required to formally review the operations of all 92 Wisconsin local health departments at the county or municipality level at least every five years. The review establishes the health department as a level II agency. A level I agency meets the minimum requirements and a level III agency meets the maximum requirements established for a local health department.

The Forest County Health Department provides services important to the community, such as:

• Coordination of care for high risk pregnant women
• Supplemental food program and nutrition education for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)
• Childhood lead poisoning prevention

For information about the Forest County Health Department, visit:
http://www.co.forest.wi.gov/localgov_departments_details.asp?deptid=386&locid=145 or call (715) 478-3371

For contact information for Wisconsin’s local health departments, visit:
http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/localhealth/

For information about the state health plan, Healthiest Wisconsin 2010 or 2020, visit:
http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/statehealthplan/

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Last Revised:  July 12, 2010