251.05 (1). (3) A city or county board of health or a board of health for a local health department as authorized in s. 251.02 (2) (b), (3m), (3r), or (3t) may adopt those regulations, for its own guidance and for the governance of the local health department, that it considers necessary to protect and improve public health. The regulations may be no less stringent than, and may not conflict with, state statutes and rules of the department. (4) A local board of health shall report to the department as required by rule. (5) A local board of health shall meet at least quarterly. (6) A local board of health shall: (a) Assess public health needs and advocate for the provision of reasonable and necessary public health services. (b) Develop policy and provide leadership that fosters local involvement and commitment, that emphasizes public health needs and that advocates for equitable distribution of public health resources and complementary private activities commensurate with public health needs. (7) A local board of health shall assure that measures are taken to provide an environment in which individuals can be healthy. (8) Unless the manner of employment is otherwise provided for by ordinance, a local board of health shall employ qualified public health professionals, including a public health nurse to conduct generalized public health nursing programs under the direction of the local board of health and in cooperation with the department, and may employ one or more sanitarians to conduct environmental programs and other public health programs not specifically designated by statute as functions of the public health nurse. The local board of health shall coordinate the activities of any sanitarian employed by the governing body of the jurisdiction that the local board of health serves. The local board of health is not required to employ different persons to perform these functions. (9) In counties with a single county health department and either a county executive or a county administrator, the county executive or county administrator may assume the powers and duties of a local board of health under this section. If a county executive or a county administrator elects to assume those powers and duties, the local board of health shall be only a policy-making body determining the broad outlines and principles governing the administration of the county health department. History: 1993 a. 27 ss. 261, 264, 463; 1997 a. 114; 1999 a. 9, 185; 2001 a. 16; 2003 a. 158; 2025 a. 134.
251.05 Local health department; levels of service; duties. (1) A local health department shall meet the following requirements specified in par. (a) and may, unless sub. (6) applies, meet the following requirements specified in par. (b) or (c): (a) As a Level I local health department, at least the level of services specified in sub. (2) (a) with a local health officer who at least meets the qualifications specified in s. 251.06 (1) (a). (b) As a Level II local health department, at least the level of services specified in sub. (2) (b) with a local health officer who at least meets the qualifications specified in s. 251.06 (1) (b). (c) As a Level III local health department, at least the level of services specified in sub. (2) (c) with a local health officer who at least meets the qualifications specified in s. 251.06 (1) (c). (2) The services to be provided by the 3 levels of local health departments are as follows:
LOCAL HEALTH OFFICIALS
251.06
(a) A Level I local health department shall provide at least surveillance, investigation, control and prevention of communicable diseases, other disease prevention, health promotion and human health hazard control. (b) A Level II local health department shall provide at least the services under par. (a) and additional services specified by the department by rule under s. 251.20 (3). (c) A Level III local health department shall provide at least the services under par. (a) and additional services specified by the department by rule under s. 251.20 (3). (3) A local health department shall: (a) Regularly and systematically collect, assemble, analyze and make available information on the health of the community, including statistics on health status, community health needs and epidemiologic and other studies of health problems. (b) Develop public health policies and procedures for the community. (c) Involve key policymakers and the general public in determining and developing a community health improvement plan that includes actions to implement the services and functions specified under s. 250.03 (1) (L). (d) Submit data, as requested, to the local public health data system established by the department. (e) Act as agent of the department, if designated by the secretary under s. 250.042 (1). (4) Except as provided in sub. (6), a local health department is not required to provide the level of services that is specified in sub. (1) (b) or (c) or to have a local health officer who meets the qualifications specified in sub. (1) (b) or (c). (5) Except as provided in sub. (6), the department may not require a local health department to provide the level of services that is specified in sub. (1) (b) or (c) or to have a local health officer who meets the qualifications specified in sub. (1) (b) or (c). (6) A local health department may be required to provide the level of services that is specified in sub. (1) (b) or (c) if and only to the extent that these services and qualifications are funded from state and federal funds that are available and are additional to any funding available on January 1, 1994. History: 1993 a. 27; 2001 a. 109; 2005 a. 198; 2007 a. 130. Cross-reference: See also ch. DHS 140, Wis. adm. code.