Health Department


Our Mission:
Promote Health - Prevent Disease - Protect the Public

Current Topics

Pertussis notice
The Obesity Epidemic CDC-TV
• The latest findings reveal a bigger problem with binge drinking
• FDA announces recall of frozen raw yellowfin tuna product, the likely cause of multistate outbreak of Salmonella Bareilly infections
• Tick season starting earlier this year:
• "Winnable Battles" in public health
• More timely information for staying healthy...

Annual County Health Rankings
See how Washington County compares with any county in the U.S. on a common set of metrics, and how we rank with other counties in Wisconsin.

Public Health and you have an important role in creating a healthier America.

Communicable Disease

Surveillance, prevention, and control
Disease Information for the Public Health Care Provider Resources
Immunizations Preparing for Disasters and Pandemics
School and Day Care Resources Measles Information

Environmental Health

Humans affect the environment, and the environment affects our health. Our environmental health specialists can help you with your environmental concerns.
Animal Bites and Rabies Air Quality Advisories
Asbestos Beach Water Testing
Carbon Monoxide Fish Consumption Advisories
Food and Waterborne Disease Food Safety (UWEX)
Lead Poisoning Licensed Facilities -- campgrounds, food, lodging, public pools and tattoo/body piercing
Medication Disposal Mold
Pest Control Radon
Recalls, Market Withdrawals & Safety Alerts (FDA) Rental Housing
Water West Nile Virus:
Reporting a sick or dead bird
Wisconsin County Environmental Health Profiles
For additional information on environmental health issues, call the Washington County Health Department at 262-335-4462 or go to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website, http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/data/topicalaf.asp#e , and click on Topics A-Z.


Safe and Healthy Living
Our individual and a community health are affected by our access to reliable information and important services, and by our willingness to use them.
Breastfeeding Car seat safety
Community coalitions Healthy People Project
Injury Prevention Interactive Recreation Map
Maternal and Children's Health --
pregnant women, mothers, infants and children 		Nutrition and Physical Activity
Smoking and Tobacco WIC -- supplemental program for women, infants and children
Wisconsin Well Woman Program
* Service Times and Location *

Reaching the Health Department

  • We are located in the Washington County Public Agency Center. [Directions] See contact information on the right side of this page.
  • For emergencies outside of regular hours, call 262-335-4462 and follow menu instructions. We are closed Saturday, Sunday and holidays.
  • General fax: 262-335-4463. Confidential fax, monitored during regular hours only: 262-335-4705.
  • TTY Line for the hearing impaired: 262-335-5176. (After hours, you may leave a message.)

Services
By Appointment only

These services require appointments to assure the right person will be available to help you. Appointments are normally scheduled between 9:00-11:00 a.m. and 1:00-3:30 p.m.

  • Badger Care temporary insurance for eligible women (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
  • Car seat checks: Thursdays only; no charge
  • Free immunizations for children up to their 19th birthday: 2nd and 4th Tuesday - see clinic schedule; additional clinics may be scheduled during periods of high need
  • Pregnancy testing: Monday, Wednesday, Friday); no charge
  • WIC services: call for appointment time
  • Wisconsin Well Woman cancer screening
No appointment, restricted hours

No appointment is necessary for these services, between 9:00-11:00 and 1:00-3:30. Occasionally you may need to wait longer to be seen without an appointment.
  • Head lice checks: no charge
  • Tuberculosis Skin Testing: Mondays and Tuesdays only; $15.00 per test. A return visit is required 48-72 hours later for the test to be valid.
Any time services

We can help with these items any time the Health Department is open (Mon-Fri, 8:00 - 4:30)
  • Radon test kits
  • Licensed facility applications or complaint forms --for restaurants, campgrounds, lodging or tattoo establishments
  • Doing the best we can to answer a question or to set up an appointment that fits your schedule

The Washington County Health Department does not perform inspections for mold, nor do we handle landlord-tenant disputes.


About the Health Department
Health Department Information and Reports
Annual Reports
2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001
Press Releases
Strategic Plans
2011-2013 2006-2010 2001-2005

Health Department Governance
Director and Health Officer: Linda Walter
Assistant Director: Joni Whitehouse
Governing Liaison Committee: Washington County Board of Health

The Washington County Board of Health and Health Officer responsibilities are specified in Wisconsin Public Health Statutes 250 through 254, Department of Health Services Administrative Code and Washington County Code 6.04.

The Washington County Health department is a Level II health department. Chapter 251 of Wisconsin Statutes designates the requirements for three levels of health departments. Level I health departments are responsible for providing the following minimal services:
  • Surveillance, investigation, control and prevention of communicable diseases
  • Other disease and injury prevention
  • Health promotion
  • Human health hazard control
  • Generalized public health nursing services including community health assessment
The Level II designation requires additional health officer requirements and at least 7 additional services or programs beyond those necessary for a Level I that address at least 5 health priorities from the current 10-year state health plan. The Healthiest Wisconsin 2020 priorities include:
  • Adequate, appropriate and safe food and nutrition
  • Alcohol and other drug use
  • Chronic disease prevention and management
  • Communicable disease prevention and control
  • Environmental and occupational health
  • Healthy growth and development
  • Injury and violence
  • Mental health
  • Oral health
  • Physical activity
  • Reproductive and sexual health
  • Tobacco use and exposure
Level III health departments and health officers meet additional requirements.
Information About The Health Of Our Community
Wisconsin Statute 251.05(3) directs local health departments to regularly and systematically collect, assemble, analyze and make available information on the health status of the community.
2011-2015 Community Health Improvement Process (2 page tri-fold brochure)
Community Health Surveys
Telephone surveys conducted for the purpose of assessment of the health status of Washington County residents and their perceptions of the community's priority issues.
Summarized Community Health Survey Data
2012 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003
2003		 2002 2001

Complete Community Health Survey Reports
2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001

Community Health & Emergency Preparedness Survey Reports
2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006

Other Community Needs Health Surveys
2012

Environmental Health Assessments
Local measurement data plus the original state report for key indicators that correlate to determinants of health, from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services' Environmental Public Health Tracking website.
2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007

Wisconsin County Health Rankings
County Health Rankings compare the 72 counties in Wisconsin to each other and ranks them by health outcomes and health factors. The health determinant model is the basis for this annual document. Starting in 2010 this document was produced for each of the 50 states by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.
2012 2011 2009-10 2008 2007 2006 2005

Washington County Health Snapshots
County Health Snapshots are 1-2 page summaries of the County Health Rankings document by jurisdiction.
2012 2011 2009-10 2008 2007 2006 2005

State and Federal Health Documents
State Health Plan (Healthiest Wisconsin 2020)
2010 Plan Document [258pp; 3.81MB] 2010 Brochure [2pp]
Health Counts in Wisconsin: Behavioral Risk Factors
2010 Behavioral Risk Factors Survey 2009-1998 Behavioral Risk Factors Surveys
Recommended Community Strategies and Measurements to Prevent Obesity in the U.S. (MMWR, July 09)


Turning Information and Ideas into Plans and Actions

After collecting and analyzing the data about the community's health, that knowledged is used to address our most pressing local public health problems.

Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP): Healthiest Washington County
Plan Documents
2010 HPPWC Strategic Plan 2006-2010 2001-2005 1996-2001
Progress Brochures/Dashboards
2011 2010 2009 2008 20072006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001
Evidence of Actions
Get Moving Washington County website

Press Releases
Health Department Press Releases
Communicable Disease
05/17/2012Pertussis notice
Environmental Health
12/28/2011 January is National Radon Action Month
08/09/2011 2nd Rabid Bat in County - Actions Needed to Prevent Rabies
Safe and Healthy Living
04/27/2012 Washington County Families Unplug! Screen Free Week Turns Attention to Physical Activity
04/12/2012 Updated Breastfeeding Recommendations from the AAP
04/03/2012 Washington Among Wisconsin's Healthiest Counties
01/03/2012 Healthy Choices For A "Family Fit Lifestyle"
10/17/2011 Firefighters to deliver pizzas, smoke detectors on Oct. 20
10/12/2011 October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
09/29/2011 Safe Kids Walk This Way
09/20/2011 ChooseMyPlate.gov reminds consumers to make healthier food choices