Winnebago County health department phone, WIC, records and Rockford services
Winnebago County Health Department serves Rockford and the surrounding Illinois county from 555 North Court Street. Most services are housed in the same building, but Vital Records, Environmental Health, Communicable Disease, The Clinic and WIC are located on different floors.
Use this guide to route yourself correctly for birth or death certificates, WIC, child vaccines, STI/HIV testing, family planning, TB care, food permits, private wells, septic systems and public-health complaints.
What is the Winnebago County Health Department phone number?
The main Winnebago County Health Department phone number in Rockford, Illinois is 815-720-4000. The office is at 555 North Court Street, Rockford, IL 61103. TTY service is available at 815-720-4300.
Call 815-720-4000 on business days. The Clinic is appointment-only and handles family planning, STI/HIV care, pregnancy testing, child immunizations and selected screening programs.
Call 815-720-4100 for food establishments, property/housing complaints, wells, septic systems, permits and environmental-health concerns.
Call 815-720-4050. The department publishes this line for reportable diseases and conditions 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Office hours and which floor you need
Most WCHD services are provided Monday–Friday from approximately 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.. Individual programs may use different appointment or service hours.
| Floor | Services | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Ground / Lower | Vital Records | Birth and death certificates. |
| 2nd Floor | Communicable Diseases | HIV/STI prevention and care, disease programs and administration. |
| 3rd Floor | Environmental Health | Food permits, inspections, lead, housing, wells and septic. |
| 4th Floor — Right | The Clinic | STI treatment, pregnancy testing, family planning and screening-support programs. |
| 4th Floor — Left | WIC / maternal-child | WIC, breastfeeding support, iGrow and oral-health programming. |
Winnebago County Health Department phone numbers
| Need | Phone | Use this for |
|---|---|---|
| Main Health Department | 815-720-4000 | Appointments, WIC enrollment, general public-health routing and after-hours Health Department contact. |
| TTY | 815-720-4300 | TTY access. |
| Disease Reporting | 815-720-4050 | Reportable conditions, rabies guidance, HIV-related support and communicable-disease questions. |
| STI/HIV / PrEP | 815-720-4050 | Testing/treatment information, HIV support and PrEP access. |
| Environmental Health | 815-720-4100 | Food, housing, wells, septic, permits and environmental concerns. |
| Animal bite report | 815-319-4100 | Report pet bites/scratches to Winnebago County Animal Services. |
| Well/septic variance | 815-720-4118 | Specific proposed well/septic installations that need variance-review guidance. |
What medical services does WCHD’s Clinic provide?
The Clinic operates by appointment only. WCHD explicitly states that The Clinic is not a primary-care practice, so residents should not use it as a substitute for routine family medicine or ongoing general medical care.
Confidential reproductive-health counseling, birth control, pregnancy testing, fertility-related support and STI services.
Confidential free or low-cost testing, STI treatment, HIV testing, partner services and PrEP access.
Vaccines for children without insurance and certain underinsured children through public vaccine eligibility routes.
Pregnancy testing and counseling are part of WCHD’s family-planning service.
WCHD helps connect eligible women with breast/cervical cancer screening and WISEWOMAN heart-health services.
The department provides physicals and vaccinations for newly arrived refugees when applicable.
Winnebago County WIC enrollment and appointments
WCHD’s Women, Infants and Children program is appointment-only. To enroll or schedule, call 815-720-4000 Monday–Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women, infants and children up to age five who meet income, residency and nutritional-risk requirements.
WIC provides nutrition education and supplemental nutritious foods through electronic WIC benefits.
Breastfeeding education and support are core parts of the program.
WIC staff can connect families with healthcare and other social/community resources.
WCHD also advertises safe-sleep supplies such as sleep sacks, swaddles, pacifiers and cribs for qualifying needs.
WIC services are on the fourth floor, left side, at 555 North Court Street.
Child vaccines and immunization records
WCHD provides childhood vaccines to children who do not have health insurance and may serve some children whose insurance does not adequately cover immunizations. Eligibility is reviewed through the relevant public vaccine program.
Call 815-720-4000 and ask about Child Immunizations. Bring the child’s existing shot record and insurance information, if applicable.
Start with Illinois IDPH Vax Verify. The state help line currently listed by WCHD is 833-621-1284.
If Vax Verify does not work
WCHD has fourth-floor kiosks that residents can use to access Vax Verify, and staff may assist with the registration technology.
If the vaccines were actually administered by WCHD and you cannot use Vax Verify, you may request WCHD’s own immunization record in person at the fourth-floor registration desk. Photo ID and a Release of Information form are required.
STI and HIV testing, treatment and PrEP
WCHD provides confidential STI/STD and HIV services. Testing is described as free or low-cost, depending on service and eligibility.
Confidential HIV and STI/STD testing is available through The Clinic.
Many infections can be treated through the clinic, with follow-up guidance based on the specific diagnosis.
WCHD helps people notify partners and may provide expedited partner therapy when clinically appropriate.
Daily PrEP medication for HIV prevention can be started through WCHD. Call 815-720-4050.
People living with HIV can be linked to treatment and support through the department’s HIV-care network.
Condoms and sexual-health prevention information are available through department programs.
WCHD provides TB care — but not routine TB testing
WCHD works with people diagnosed with or at risk for tuberculosis to connect them with appropriate treatment and help them complete antibiotic therapy.
For people with confirmed or suspected tuberculosis requiring public-health follow-up, WCHD’s role can include treatment support, disease-control work and directly observed therapy.
Winnebago County birth and death certificates
WCHD maintains birth and death records for events that occurred in Winnebago County after 1916. Vital Records is on the ground/lower floor at 555 North Court Street.
| Certificate | First copy | Additional same-record copy | Mail / E-Pay handling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth certificate | $17 | $5 each | $3 |
| Death certificate | $21 | $9 each | $3 |
| Older genealogical non-certified death copy | $10 | $2 each | $3 |
Who can order a birth certificate?
Current WCHD rules allow the person named on the record when age 18 or older, a parent named on the record, or an authorized legal guardian/representative with supporting court documentation.
Who can order a death certificate?
Eligible requesters include qualifying immediate family members and people who can document a personal/property interest, such as an executor or legal representative. Genealogical access is available under different rules when the record is old enough.
Ways to order
Go to Vital Records on the ground floor at 555 North Court Street with the required identification and record information.
Use WCHD’s E-Pay process, then provide the required ID/signature documentation. The order is not processed until required identification is received.
Send the application, payment and photo-ID copy to WCHD Vital Records at PO Box 4009, Rockford, IL 61103.
Food, housing, lead, wells, septic and environmental complaints
Environmental Health is on the third floor. Call 815-720-4100 for permitting appointments, food concerns, wells/septic questions or other public-health environmental issues.
Restaurant and food-business permits, inspections, plan review, temporary events and mobile vendors.
Property-maintenance, garbage and other conditions that may fall within public-health jurisdiction.
Lead-poisoning prevention and environmental lead services.
Installation oversight, site verification, private-water guidance and complaint response.
Installation/repair oversight, contractor regulation, loan inspections, site verification and variances.
Residents can purchase radon test kits through WCHD by calling Environmental Health.
Well testing, septic records and building-project checks
If a Winnebago County property uses a private well or septic system, WCHD has a role in installations, repairs, site verification and certain real-estate inspections.
WCHD recommends testing private well water once each year for contaminants such as coliform bacteria and nitrates/nitrites, and again after changes in taste, smell, appearance, flooding or system servicing.
Private-well samples are analyzed through the City of Rockford Environmental Laboratory at 1111 Cedar Street using approved sample containers.
WCHD states that site verification is required on private-well/septic properties when work requiring a building permit could affect the existing systems.
WCHD recommends having septic systems inspected before purchase and conducts inspections requested by mortgage/banking institutions.
Septic-system care
Avoid putting wipes, grease, sanitary products, cat litter, solvents, paint, pesticides and other non-biodegradable or toxic materials into a septic system. These items can clog the system or kill the microbes that treat wastewater.
Winnebago County food permits, plan review and inspections
WCHD Environmental Health permits and inspects food establishments throughout Winnebago County. New establishments, changes of ownership, remodels, mobile vendors and temporary-event operations have different application routes.
Use the Food & Beverage Establishment Plan Review process before construction, conversion or major remodeling.
Change of ownership or reopening can require an inspection and updated permit process.
Mobile food operations require the county’s applicable mobile-food permit and commissary information when required.
Different forms apply to event organizers, temporary food establishments and special-event vendors.
Home-to-Market operators use a registration process rather than assuming a standard restaurant permit.
WCHD mails annual food-permit renewal applications in October; renewals are due by December 15 for the next calendar year.
Pregnancy, newborn and early-childhood support
Beyond WIC and The Clinic, WCHD operates or connects families with several maternal and early-childhood programs.
Support for healthier pregnancies and babies.
Evidence-based home-visiting and child-development support designed to help young children get ready for school.
Education and supplies may be available to help families create a safer sleep environment for infants.
Public-health oral-health services and prevention programs are located with maternal/child services on the fourth floor.
WIC provides breastfeeding support and peer education.
A community-wide connection point for people planning pregnancy, pregnant, welcoming a newborn or raising children under five.
What to prepare before going to WCHD
How to reach the correct Winnebago County health service
Decide whether you need WIC, a clinic appointment, STI/HIV care, a child’s vaccine, vital records, Environmental Health or a permit.
Use 815-720-4000 for general/clinic/WIC routing, 815-720-4050 for communicable-disease and sexual-health support, or 815-720-4100 for Environmental Health.
The Clinic and WIC are appointment-based, while other programs use counter, permit or inspection workflows.
Prepare ID, health records, immunization information, record eligibility documents or property/business plans based on the service.
Hours, appointment availability, fees and permit requirements can change after publication.
Winnebago County Health Department location in Rockford
The Illinois Winnebago County Health Department is at 555 North Court Street, Rockford, IL 61103. WCHD states that free parking is available onsite.
Official Winnebago County Health Department links
Winnebago County Health Department FAQs
Which Winnebago County Health Department does this page cover?
This page covers Winnebago County Health Department in Rockford, Illinois, at 555 North Court Street. Winnebago County, Wisconsin has a separate public-health department.
What is the Winnebago County Health Department phone number?
The main Rockford WCHD phone number is 815-720-4000. Environmental Health uses 815-720-4100 and disease reporting uses 815-720-4050.
What are the Winnebago County Health Department hours?
Most services operate Monday through Friday around 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. The building opens at 9:30 a.m. on the second and fourth Thursday each month, and individual programs may use different hours.
How do I schedule WIC in Winnebago County?
Call 815-720-4000 Monday–Friday from 8 a.m.–5 p.m. WIC services are appointment-only.
Does WCHD provide child immunizations?
Yes. WCHD provides vaccines for children who are uninsured and some children whose insurance does not adequately cover vaccination. Eligibility is reviewed through the applicable public vaccine program.
Does Winnebago County Health Department offer STI and HIV testing?
Yes. WCHD provides confidential free or low-cost STI and HIV testing, STI treatment, partner services and HIV-prevention support including PrEP.
Can I get a TB test at WCHD?
WCHD currently states that it does not conduct routine TB testing. It does provide tuberculosis care and treatment support for people diagnosed with or at risk for TB.
How much is a Winnebago County birth certificate?
The current WCHD fee is $17 for the first certified birth certificate and $5 for each additional copy of the same record purchased at the same time. Mail or electronic orders carry a $3 handling fee.
How much is a Winnebago County death certificate?
The current fee is $21 for the first certified death certificate and $9 for each additional copy of the same record purchased at the same time. Mail/electronic requests have a $3 handling fee.
Who handles food permits, septic and wells in Winnebago County?
Winnebago County Health Department Environmental Health handles food permits and inspections, private-well and septic oversight, site verification and related public-health complaints. Call 815-720-4100.