Environmental Health

The Dr. John Bartkowski Department of Environmental Health was established by Sixteenth Street in 1997 to extend our reach beyond the walls of our clinics to transform behaviors and the environment in which Milwaukee’s near south side residents live, work, learn, and play, so that we can all live happier, healthier lives.

Today, the Department’s innovative programs and strategic partnerships continue to lead the way in the environmental, physical, economic and social transformation. The Department works to improve the wellbeing of the community by encouraging healthy behaviors and positively transforming and enhancing factors in the natural and built environment that impact human health – the social and environmental determinants of health. We do this by centering resilience, environmental sustainability and environmental justice in all that we do.

The DEH was named in honor and recognition of Dr. John Bartkowski, a previous President and CEO of Sixteenth Street. His leadership was instrumental in developing the DEH and helping restore the Menomonee Valley, Harbor District and revitalizing the Kinnickinnic River Neighborhood. He also spearheaded our comprehensive lead poisoning prevention efforts that are currently testing more than 6,400 children a year and providing families with in-home lead education, screening and intervention services to reduce the negative impact of childhood lead poisoning.