Exploring Agent Of The State For Environmental Health

Transcription

1 SAWYER COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT Exploring Agent Of The State For Environmental Health

2 What Is Public Health?

3 What is the purpose? To ensure all of the 600+ facilities within Sawyer County are properly inspected and licensed to promote health and safety for residents and visitors. To inform, educate, and communicate with individuals and communities to develop strategies to meet current and upcoming challenges promoting health and wellbeing. To create and adopt local ordinances providing the capability to address local environmental health needs. To provide additional environmental health services, such as laboratory testing for drinking and surface water.

4 What are the Benefits 1. Facilities are inspected at least once a year. 2. Local oversight and accountability. 3. Accessibility and availability are at a higher level to: a. Respond to operator questions and to help them solve problems. b. Respond to consumer complaints. c. Respond to suspected food borne illness outbreaks or food borne illness complaints. 4. Better opportunities to collaborate with other local inspection offices to achieve a higher level of health code compliance. 5. Knowledge of and familiarity with the needs of local operators allows specific education and training. 6. Local governing bodies can establish permit fees to recover all or part of their program costs. 7. Local public health staff are in a better position to monitor the community for food borne disease outbreaks and respond quickly. 8. Local environmental health services are in a better position to promote partnerships to address health and safety. 9. Ability to build environmental health capacity at a local level to handle all environmental public health issues more effectively.

5 ADAMS ASHLAND BARRON BAYFIELD BROWN BUFFALO BURNETT CALUMET CHIPPEWA CLARK COLUMBIA CRAWFORD DANE DODGE DOOR DOUGLAS DUNN EAU CLAIRE FLORENCE FOND DU LAC FOREST GRANT GREEN GREEN LAKE IOWA IRON JACKSON JEFFERSON JUNEAU KENOSHA KEWAUNEE LA CROSSE LAFAYETTE LANGLADE LINCOLN MANITOWOC MARATHON MARINETTE MARQUETTE MENOMINEE MILWAUKEE MONROE OCONTO ONEIDA OUTAGAMIE OZAUKEE PEPIN PIERCE POLK PORTAGE PRICE RACINE RICHLAND ROCK RUSK SAUK SAWYER SHAWANO SHEBOYGAN ST. CROIX TREMPEALEAU TYLOR VERNON VILAS WALWORTH WASHBURN WASHINGTON WAUKESHA WAUPACA WAUSHARA WINNEBAGO WOOD STATE INSPECTED (27) COUNTY INSPECTED (45)

6 Who Will this Affect? FOR REGULATING: Restaurants Hotels & Motels Tourist Rooming Houses Bed And Breakfast Establishments Vending Of Food Facilities Public Pools & Water Attractions Recreational & Educational Camps Campgrounds Retail Food Establishments Tattoo And Body Piercing Establishments Manufactured Home Communities

7 Hotel / Motel Inspections ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM SERVICES Environmental Health would provide a variety of programs aimed at identifying, controlling, and preventing environmental health hazards in the community Bed & Breakfast and Tourist Rooming House Inspections Retail Food Establishment Inspections Restaurant Inspections Campgrounds and Educational Camp Inspections Mobile Home Park Inspections Tattoo and Piercing Facility Inspections Swimming Pool and Water Attraction Facility Inspections Vending Machine / Commissaries Inspections Safe Drinking Water Testing & Laboratory Services Human Health Hazards - Nuisance Abatement Disease Prevention & Investigation Animal Bite / Rabies Control Beach Water Monitoring Carbon Monoxide Education & Resources West Nile Surveillance and Education Mold In Your Home Education & Resources Radon Testing Kits, Education & Resources Lead Poisoning Education and & Home Visiting Program Air Quality Education & Resources

8 Hurdles to Success Many Players Involved Need For Education Concerns From Constituents Short Time Frame Legal Concerns Funding Staffing

9 SAWYER COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT Establishing Local Ordinances Health Hazards & Public Nuisances

10 Statute: A law enacted by the legislative branch of a government Administrative Rules: Policies that state agencies issue on a variety of subjects Code: A systematic statement of a body of law; especially one given statutory force. Resolution: A formal expression of opinion, will, or intent voted by an official body or assembled group Ordinance: A law or regulation made by a county, city, or town government Nuisance: An unlawful act or omission to discharge a legal duty which act or omission endangers the lives, safety, health, property or comfort of the public or by which the public are obstructed in the exercise or enjoyment of any right common to all member of the public. Definitions

11 Nuisance Nuisance: Activity on or condition of property that interferes with neighboring owner s use or enjoyment of their property. Private Nuisance: Affects a few people. - Example: smell of neighbor s garbage Public Nuisance: Affects neighborhood. - Example: contaminated body of water

12 Why Establish Local Ordinances State statutes and administrative code may not offer adequate protection/guidance for your community Local ordinances can strengthen and further clarify the role of public health Prior to Smoke Free Wisconsin there were many counties with smoke free ordinances already

13 Why Establish Local Ordinances Wisconsin is a Home Rule state that allows local government the capability to go beyond what is required in the state statutes to better address local needs. Ordinances provide a streamlined process for managing issues locally. Information, Education, and Communication: Is A process of working with individuals, communities and societies to develop strategies promoting positive behaviors that are appropriate to their settings. Ordinances provide information and education for the public Local ordinances can adopt (full or in part) the appropriate Wisconsin State Statutes and Administrative Codes.

14 Why Establish Local Ordinances Quicker and easier to enforce if enabling legislation is local Raises visibility and legitimacy of the local department Local contacts and knowledge of the area Potential for a quicker and more frequent response/inspections Progress lies not in enhancing what is, but in advancing toward what will be. - Khalil Gibran -

15 Summary Ordinances give legal authority to locals to address community needs Useful when a community feels state laws are not strong enough Should focus on being educational rather than punitive Allows health department to work collaboratively with other agencies Process many vary, but outcomes are similar

16 Laboratory Testing Services for Drinking and Surface Water Safe water is essential for health, business prosperity, and community growth. The increased demand for water usage and re-occurring floods requires the need for increased monitoring. Water testing facilities are in demand statewide. Tests would be done for private wells and public facilities when inspected. Private well owners should test their well for Bacteria annually.

17 In Conclusion.. Public Health concerns are increasing and changing rapidly. Local public health departments working in partnership with State agencies to oversee Food, Lodging, and Recreational facilities provides an ideal infrastructure to best meet current and upcoming challenges.