JACKSON COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH
Staff pictured left to right. First Row: Mollie Olson, Tammy Handly, Dawn Jacobson
Second Row: Heidi Krenz, Nikki Clark
Third Row: Josh McGrath, Amy Gunderson, Maggie Lass, Amelia Leis, Ben Rodenberg
Jackson County Public Health Through the Years
On February 1st, 1971, Verna Larson RN, started as Jackson County’s first county nurse after Jackson County was identified as the last county in Wisconsin to not have a local health department. Mrs. Larson was a one woman show and attempted to serve all parts of the county by planning and developing health programs. In her annual report, she contributed her success to “several organized groups, health committee members, school nurses, and other interested citizens who have given freely of their time in the interest of promoting health for the people of Jackson County”. In 1971 the staff of Jackson County Public Health included: Jackson County Health Nurse - Mrs. Verna Larson RN, County Medical Advisor - Dr. Robert Krohn, and County Dental Advisor - Dr. Donald Delebo.
Since 1971, Jackson County Public Health has expanded to include Public Health Nurses, Public Health Specialists, Environmental Health Sanitarians, the Birth to 3 program, and WIC program. As Jackson County Public Health continues to grow, the department remains committed to advancing a healthy community by preventing disease, promoting health, and protecting the public from environmental hazards and threats.
Jackson County Public Health will continue to devote our lives and careers to help heal, rebuild, and make Jackson County the healthiest and safest county in which to live, learn, work, and play.
2022 Public Health Annual Report
2022 was a busy year for Jackson County Public Health, as we continued with COVID recovery, while working to rebuild our programming, workforce, and community partnerships and coalitions. The Jackson County Health Department remains committed to advancing a healthy community by preventing disease, promoting health, and protecting the public from environmental hazards and threats. We continue to devote our lives and our careers to heal, rebuild and make Jackson County the healthiest and safest county in which to live, learn, work, and play.
Our hEALTH ADVISOR
Dr. Forsting started out her medical career as a certified nursing assistant at the Black River Memorial Hospital. After getting her undergraduate degree at UW-Eau Claire, she earned her Masters of Public Health Degree at UW-La Crosse. She attended medical school at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and was a member of the Wisconsin Academy for Rural Medicine. Her family medicine residency was completed at UW Health Eau Claire/Augusta Family Medicine Residency. She takes pride in being able to offer a full scope medicine to the surrounding communities. Her special interests include women’s health, obstetrics with cesarean sections, pediatrics and medical student training.