Wisconsin Statutes Health (Ch. 250 to 255) § 250.02. State health officials

(1) State health officer; duties. The secretary shall appoint a state health officer and may assign the state health officer such duties of the secretary or department as the secretary provides. The state health officer may appoint such advisory and examining bodies as are needed to carry out the duties of the state health officer and as provided by law. The state health officer shall appoint state epidemiologists for program areas of acute and communicable diseases, occupational and environmental diseases, maternal and child health and chronic diseases. Individuals appointed as state epidemiologists shall have advanced training and expertise in epidemiology in their program areas.

(2) Chief medical officers; qualifications; duties. The state health officer shall appoint chief medical officers in the classified service to provide public health consultation to, and leadership for, state health programs. The chief medical officers shall also serve as state epidemiologists under sub. (1), for acute and communicable diseases, occupational and environmental diseases, maternal and child health and chronic diseases. The chief medical officers shall be physicians who have training and expertise, as prescribed by the department, appropriate to their areas of assignment. The chief medical officers shall have all of the powers and duties that are designated to them by the state health officer to enforce the health laws of the state and to advise state and local officials as to health promotion, disease prevention and public health intervention strategies necessary to prevent morbidity and unnecessary mortality.