Division of Public Health
Bureau of Communicable Diseases and Emergency Response
(BCDER)
The Bureau of Communicable Diseases is responsible for
the prevention and control of communicable diseases in Wisconsin, public
health and hospital preparedness, and coordination and licensing of
emergency medical services. The Bureau provides surveillance and
epidemiological follow-up of more than 70 reportable communicable
diseases. It is also responsible for monitoring scientific advances in the
field of communicable disease prevention and control research, and for
incorporating those that are appropriate into public health practice.
The Bureau has six sections:
AIDS/HIV, Communicable
Disease Epidemiology, Immunization,
Sexually
Transmitted Diseases, Public Health and Hospital
Preparedness, and
Emergency Medical Services Systems and Licensing.
The AIDS/HIV Section
is responsible for coordinating the state’s public health response to
the AIDS/HIV epidemic including surveillance and epidemiologic
investigation, HIV testing and referral, partner counseling and referral,
life care services and intervention, Ryan White Care Act, AIDS/HIV drug
assistance, health insurance premium subsidy, and education and risk
reduction activities. It is also responsible for Hepatitis
C prevention and control.
The Communicable
Disease Epidemiology Section is responsible for maintaining and
improving the surveillance system for communicable diseases. The section
has specific responsibility for the epidemiologic investigation and
response to tuberculosis, food/water/vector borne diseases, zoonotic
diseases, suspected communicable disease outbreaks, and emerging and
re-emerging diseases. It also provides infection control consultation to
the health care provider community and technical assistance on health
risks and health care needs of refugees and other populations arriving in
the United States.
The Immunization
Section is responsible for preventing those communicable diseases for
which immunizations are available. The program provides vaccines and
technical assistance to health care providers, conducts surveillance and
investigation of vaccine preventable diseases, operates the Wisconsin
Immunization Registry designed to keep track of immunization histories for
Wisconsin citizens, and conducts educational activities to encourage
prompt and complete immunization. The section implements the state law
that requires certain immunizations for children entering day care centers
and schools. It is also responsible for Wisconsin’s use of the National
Pharmaceutical Stockpile and conduct of mass immunization/prophylaxis in
the event of an emergency.
The Sexually
Transmitted Diseases Section is responsible for prevention and control
of chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital herpes and the elimination of syphilis.
It provides direct patient services and partner referral for syphilis
statewide and for other sexually transmitted diseases in southeastern
Wisconsin. Section staff provide consultation and technical assistance to
local health departments and private health care providers on diagnosis,
treatment and follow-up of patients infected with sexually transmitted
diseases. The section also maintains a statewide educational effort to
reduce risky sexual behavior and the risk of infection with sexually
transmitted diseases.
The Public
Health and Hospital Preparedness Section supports and enhances
the capacity of the state and local public health departments to prepare
for public health threats and emergencies through planning, exercising and
training. Functions include planning, coordination and
responsibility for grant management/contract administration, pandemic
influenza, Strategic National Stockpile, required training, drills,
exercises and After Action reports, communication (routine, risk, media),
partnering and outreach, liaison roles with other public and private
agencies, local health departments and tribes, workgroups, expert panels
and committees, Volunteer Registry, partner communication and alerting and
WI Train (e-learning management system).
The Emergency Medical
Services Systems and Licensing Section Section (EMS) oversees all
licensing, training, policy and practice issues related to emergency
medical services, manages ambulance service provider grants, and
coordinates EMS activities statewide.
The Bureau maintains a close working relationship with local
health departments, health care providers, a wide variety of
community-based direct service agencies as well as with other state and
federal agencies including Wisconsin
State Laboratory of Hygiene, Wisconsin
Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, Wisconsin
Department of Military Affairs, Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources, Wisconsin
Office of Justice Assistance, US Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention, US
Department of Agriculture, US Food and
Drug Administration, and the US Health
Resources and Service Administration.
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Last Revised: July 23, 2009 |
