Division of Public Health

Bureau of Health Information and Policy
(BHIP)

The Bureau of Health Information and Policy has a primary responsibility to collect, maintain and provide vital records for the citizens of the state; integrate and manage major public health related information systems; collect, protect, disseminate and analyze health care and population-based health data needed to conduct critical state business; and support a division-wide planning and policy focus on population health that results in achieving the goals set out in the state health plan, Healthiest Wisconsin 2010.

The Bureau has four sections: Health Care Information Section, Policy Section, Population Health Information Section and State Registrar/Vital Records Section.

• The Health Care Information Section maintains the Wisconsin Cancer Reporting System (registry), and the Wisconsin Violent Death Reporting System. It also provides data on health care providers and health care services to the Department for epidemiological and administrative use.
  
  
• The Policy Section is responsible for State Health Plan 2010 coordination, State Health Plan 2020 development, the Minority Health Program, public health nursing leadership, epidemiology, and staff support to the Public Health Council and the Minority Health Leadership Council.
  
  
• The Population Health Information Section provides demographic data and constructs population estimates, conducts two population surveys ( Behavioral Risk Factor Survey and Family Health Survey) and the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), and provides analysis including linked data bases and reports. The section also develops and maintains Web-based interactive query systems that provide local and statewide health information. This section edits and reviews all Bureau publications, and oversees Bureau Web sites, including Health Statistics, the Consumer Guide to Health Care, the State Health Plan, and others.
  
  
• The State Registrar/Vital Records Section carries out state vital statistics functions as established in Chapter 69, Wisconsin Statutes. The Registration and Statistics Unit registers all vital events - births, deaths, fetal deaths, marriages and divorces. The unit also trains personnel in local vital records offices to assure vital records policies and procedures are followed uniformly throughout the state. The Special Records and Preservation Unit files, amends, preserves, stores and issues copies of all Wisconsin vital records. The Customer Service Unit accepts and processes applications for copies of vital records from citizens.

The Bureau has key relationships with other divisions in the Department, local health departments, universities, health care providers, and federal public health agencies.

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Last Revised:  July 14, 2008