Chapter 251

251.03(4) (4) Governing bodies of counties, cities or villages that appoint local boards of health shall specify the lengths of terms of members and shall provide for staggered terms.

251.03(4m) (4m) Subsections (1) to (4) do not apply to a village or town that establishes a local health department under s. 251.02 (3m). In a village or town that does so, the village board or town board shall establish itself as a local board of health or appoint either wholly or partially from its own members a local board of health that consists of a suitable number of competent persons. A local board of health under this subsection shall elect a chairperson and clerk.

251.03(4r) (4r) Subsections (1) to (4m) do not apply to a city, village or town that establishes a multiple municipal local health department under s. 251.02 (2) (b) or (3r), or to cities that establish a city-city local health department under s. 251.02 (3t). In establishing a multiple municipal local health department as described under s. 251.02 (2) (b) or (3r), the relevant governing bodies shall agree on how many members of the local board of health are appointed by each governing body and how many of each governing body’s appointees shall be members who are not elected officials or employees of the governing body. The members shall be appointed by the relevant governing bodies. A local board of health under this subsection shall elect a chairperson and clerk.

251.03(5) (5) No governing body of a county, city, village or town is required to use the term “local board of health” to refer to a local board of health that is established under this section.

251.03 History History: 1993 a. 27; 1999 a. 9; 2003 a. 158; 2021 a. 192; s. 35.17 correction in (1).

251.04 251.04 Local board of health; powers and duties.

251.04(1) (1) Except as authorized in s. 251.02 (2) (b), (3m), (3r), and (3t), a city board of health shall govern a city health department, a county board of health shall govern a county health department or multiple county health department, and a city-county board of health shall govern a city-county health department. A city board of health, a county board of health, a city-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) shall assure the enforcement of state public health statutes and public health rules of the department as prescribed for a Level I local health department. A local board of health may contract or subcontract with a public or private entity to provide public health services. The contractor’s staff shall meet the appropriate qualifications for positions in a Level I local health department.

251.04(2) (2) 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) shall assure that its local health department is a Level I, Level II, or Level III local health department, as specified in s. 251.05 (1).

251.04(3) (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.

251.04(4) (4) A local board of health shall report to the department as required by rule.

251.04(5) (5) A local board of health shall meet at least quarterly.

251.04(6) (6) A local board of health shall:

251.04(6)(a) (a) Assess public health needs and advocate for the provision of reasonable and necessary public health services.

251.04(6)(b) (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.

251.04(7) (7) A local board of health shall assure that measures are taken to provide an environment in which individuals can be healthy.

251.04(8) (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 general 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.

251.04(9) (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.

251.04 History History: 1993 a. 27 ss. 261, 264, 463; 1997 a. 114; 1999 a. 9, 185; 2001 a. 16; 2003 a. 158.

251.05 251.05 Local health department; levels of service; duties.

251.05(1) (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):

251.05(1)(a) (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).

251.05(1)(b) (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).

251.05(1)(c) (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).

251.05(2) (2) The services to be provided by the 3 levels of local health departments are as follows:

251.05(2)(a) (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.

251.05(2)(b) (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).

251.05(2)(c) (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).

251.05(3) (3) A local health department shall:

251.05(3)(a) (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.

251.05(3)(b) (b) Develop public health policies and procedures for the community.

251.05(3)(c) (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).

251.05(3)(d) (d) Submit data, as requested, to the local public health data system established by the department.

251.05(3)(e) (e) Act as agent of the department, if designated by the secretary under s. 250.042 (1).

251.05(4) (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).

251.05(5) (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).

251.05(6) (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.

251.05 History History: 1993 a. 27; 2001 a. 109; 2005 a. 198; 2007 a. 130.

251.05 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. DHS 140, Wis. adm. code.

251.06 251.06 Local health officer; qualifications; duties.

251.06(1) (1) 

251.06(1)(a) (a)

251.06(1)(a)1. 1. Except as provided in subd. 2. or 3., a local health officer of a Level I local health department shall have at least a bachelor’s degree from a nursing program accredited by the national professional nursing education accrediting organization or from a nursing program accredited by the board of nursing.

251.06(1)(a)2. 2. A local health officer of a village or town health department established under s. 251.02 (3m) or of a multiple municipal local health department established under s. 251.02 (3r) shall be either a physician or a registered nurse. The local health officer shall be a voting member of the local board of health and shall take an oath of office. With respect to the levels of services of a Level I local health department, as specified in s. 251.05 (2) (a), the local health officer shall be authorized to act by and be directed by the county health officer of the county specified under s. 251.02 (3m).

251.06(1)(a)3. 3. If there is more than one full-time employee of a Level I local health department, including a full-time public health nurse who meets the qualifications specified under s. 250.06, the local health officer may meet the qualifications of a Level II or Level III local health officer.

251.06(1)(b) (b) A local health officer of a Level II local health department shall have at least 3 years of experience in a full-time position with a public health agency, including responsibility for a communicable disease prevention and control program, preferably in a supervisory or other administrative position, and at least one of the following:

251.06(1)(b)1. 1. A bachelor’s degree from a nursing program accredited by the national professional nursing education accrediting organization or from a nursing program accredited by the board of nursing, either of which shall include preparation in public health nursing.

251.06(1)(b)2. 2. A bachelor’s degree in public health, environmental health, the physical or biological sciences or a similar field.

251.06(1)(c) (c) A local health officer of a Level III local health department shall have at least one of the following:

251.06(1)(c)1. 1. A master’s degree, or a degree or educational credential higher than a master’s degree, in public health, public administration, health administration or, as defined in rules promulgated by the department, a similar field and 3 years of experience in a full-time administrative position in either a public health agency or public health work.

251.06(1)(c)2. 2. A bachelor’s degree and 16 graduate semester credits towards a master’s degree in public health, public administration, health administration or, as defined in rules promulgated by the department, a similar field and 5 years of experience in a full-time administrative position in either a public health agency or public health work.

251.06(1)(c)3. 3. A license to practice medicine and surgery under ch. 448 and at least one of the following:

251.06(1)(c)3.a. a. Three years of experience in a full-time administrative position in either a public health agency or public health work.

251.06(1)(c)3.b. b. Eligibility for certification by the American board of preventive medicine in public health or general preventive medicine.

251.06(1)(c)3.c. c. A master’s degree, or a degree or educational credential higher than a master’s degree, in public health, public administration, health administration or, as defined in rules promulgated by the department, a similar field.

251.06(1)(d) (d) Notwithstanding pars. (a) to (c), relevant education, training, instruction, or other experience that an applicant obtained in connection with military service, as defined in s. 111.32 (12g), counts toward satisfying the requirements for education, training, instruction, or other experience to qualify as a public health officer if the applicant demonstrates to the satisfaction of the department that the education, training, instruction, or other experience that the applicant obtained in connection with his or her military service is substantially equivalent to the education, training, instruction, or other experience that is required to qualify as a public health officer.

251.06(2) (2) 

251.06(2)(a) (a) Except as provided in pars. (b) and (c), a local health officer shall be a full-time employee of a local health department.

251.06(2)(b) (b) A local health officer of a county health department in a county under s. 251.02 (3m) shall be a full-time employee of the county who meets the qualifications of a local health officer of a Level I local health department.

251.06(2)(c) (c) A local health officer of a local health department of a village or town established under s. 251.02 (3m) or a local health officer of a multiple municipal local health department established under s. 251.02 (3r) shall be one of the following:

251.06(2)(c)1. 1. An employee of the local health department of the village or town or an employee of the multiple municipal local health department.

251.06(2)(c)2. 2. A full-time employee of a local health department other than that specified in subd. 1.

251.06(2)(c)3. 3. The local health officer under par. (b).

251.06(2)(c)4. 4. The employee of a hospital, who provides, on a full-time basis, the services under s. 251.05 (2) (a), (b) or (c).

251.06(3) (3) A local health officer shall:

251.06(3)(a) (a) Administer the local health department in accordance with state statutes and rules.

251.06(3)(b) (b) Enforce state public health statutes and rules.

251.06(3)(c) (c) Enforce any regulations that the local board of health adopts and any ordinances that the relevant governing body enacts, if those regulations and ordinances are consistent with state public health statutes and rules.

251.06(3)(d) (d) Administer all funds received by the local health department for public health programs.

251.06(3)(e) (e) Appoint all necessary subordinate personnel, assure that they meet appropriate qualifications and have supervisory power over all subordinate personnel. Any public health nurses and sanitarians hired for the local health department shall meet any qualification requirements established in rules promulgated by the department. “Subordinate personnel” under this paragraph may include any of the following:

251.06(3)(e)1. 1. A public health educator who meets qualifications that the department shall specify by rule.

251.06(3)(e)2. 2. A public health nutritionist, who is a certified dietitian, as defined in s. 448.70 (1m), is credentialed as a registered dietitian by the Commission on Dietetic Registration, and meets qualifications that the department shall specify by rule.

251.06(3)(e)3. 3. A public health dental hygienist, who is licensed as a dental hygienist under s. 447.04 (2) (a) or (b), and who meets qualifications that the department shall specify by rule.

251.06(3)(f) (f) Investigate and supervise the sanitary conditions of all premises within the jurisdictional area of the local health department.

251.06(3)(g) (g) Have access to vital records and vital statistics from the register of deeds, as specified in ch. 69.

251.06(3)(h) (h) Have charge of the local health department and perform the duties prescribed by the local board of health. The local health officer shall submit an annual report of the administration of the local health department to the local board of health.

251.06(3)(i) (i) Promote the spread of information as to the causes, nature and prevention of prevalent diseases, and the preservation and improvement of health.

251.06(4) (4) 

251.06(4)(a) (a) Except as provided in pars. (b) and (c), a local health officer shall be appointed in the same manner as are members of a local board of health under s. 251.03 (2).

251.06(4)(b) (b) In any county with a county executive that has a single county health department, the county executive shall appoint and supervise the county health officer. The appointment is subject to confirmation by the county board unless the county board, by ordinance, elects to waive confirmation or unless the appointment is made under a civil service system competitive examination procedure established under s. 59.52 (8) or ch. 63. The county health officer appointed under this paragraph is subject only to the supervision of the county executive. In a county with such a county health officer, 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.

251.06(4)(c) (c) A local health officer of a village or town health department established under s. 251.02 (3m), of a multiple municipal local health department established under s. 251.02 (2) (b) or (3r), or of a city-city local health department established under s. 251.02 (3t) shall be appointed by the local board of health.

251.06 History History: 1993 a. 27 ss. 203, 209, 266, 465; 1993 a. 106; 1995 a. 201; 1997 a. 114; 1999 a. 9; 2003 a. 158; 2007 a. 130; 2011 a. 120; 2023 a. 259.

251.06 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. DHS 139, Wis. adm. code.

251.06 Annotation The list of a local health officer’s mandatory enforcement duties in sub. (3) does not expressly withdraw a county’s authority to permit its health department to enforce public health orders by civil citation. Becker v. Dane County, 2022 WI 63, 403 Wis. 2d 424, 977 N.W.2d 390, 21-1343.

251.06 Annotation This section does not require that a county create a stand-alone county health department and does not preclude the county human services director from exercising any managerial authority over the county health officer with respect to the operation of county health department programs. Because the transfer of the functions of a county health department to the county human services department is expressly authorized under s. 46.23 (3) (b) 1. bm. and c., a county that has a county executive is not required to create a stand-alone county health department. OAG 7-08.

251.07 251.07 Certain physicians; state agency status. A physician who is not an employee of the local health department and who provides services, without compensation, for those programs and services provided by a local health department that require medical oversight is, for the provision of the services he or she provides, a state agent of the department of health services for the purposes of ss. 165.25 (6), 893.82 (3), and 895.46.

251.07 History History: 2007 a. 20 s. 9121 (6) (a); 2007 a. 130; 2009 a. 276.

251.08 251.08 Jurisdiction of local health department. The jurisdiction of the local health department shall extend to the entire area represented by the governing body of the county, city, village or town that established the local health department, except that the jurisdiction of a single or multiple county health department or of a city-county health department does not extend to cities, villages and towns that have local health departments. Cities, towns and villages having local health departments may by vote of their local boards of health determine to come under the jurisdiction of the county health department. No part of any expense incurred under this section by a county health department may be levied against any property within any city, village or town that has a local health department and that has not determined to come under the jurisdiction of the county health department.

251.08 History History: 1993 a. 27 s. 213; 2001 a. 16.

251.09 251.09 Joint services. Local health departments jointly may provide health services as agreed upon under s. 66.0301, unless, notwithstanding s. 66.0301, the agreement conflicts with a provision of this chapter.