The Westchester County Board of Health is now seeking nominations for the 2022 Public Health Service Awards. The Board wants to recognize adults, young people and not-for-profit programs whose volunteer efforts have demonstrated creativity and compassion in response to the enduring COVID-19 pandemic, and who have helped improve public health in Westchester.
The Board encourages community leaders, healthcare professionals, educators and residents to nominate worthy people or programs by Feb. 8 using the nomination forms.
“Adults, teenagers and organizations have been inspired to help our community in innovative ways during this prolonged COVID-19 pandemic,” said Robert Baker, MD, president of the Westchester County Board of Health. “This year, the Board again would like to salute these extraordinary people and programs. By highlighting their volunteerism, we hope to inspire others to promote and protect public health in Westchester.”
The Dr. Harold Keltz Distinguished Public Health Service Award is presented annually to a person or community-based organization, whose efforts have made an extraordinary contribution to the public health of Westchester residents, but who is not professionally engaged in public health work.
The J.R. Tesone Youth Public Health Service Award is an annual award to a student up to age 21 for his or her creative contribution to public health in Westchester. The award was created in 2014 in memory of J.R. Tesone, a Board of Health member with a lifelong commitment to Westchester County children.
The Board also will highlight the compassion, creativity and commitment demonstrated by a select group of nominees, who will be named Public Health Honorees.
These awards will be announced and presented in April to spotlight National Public Health Week, and the honorees and their achievements will be featured on the Health Department’s web pages. Last year’s youth winners provided meal deliveries and other COVID-19 relief to first responders and families. Recent youthful winners have promoted youth awareness of the dangers of vaping, advocated for restrictions on tobacco sales, promoted awareness of the opioid crisis, increased sustainability and Earth Day programming, advocated for children affected by cancer or created an app to foster communication between teens with Type 1 diabetes.
Adult volunteers were recognized last year for raising thousands of dollars and distributing PPE and meals to first responders and families with COVID-19, and for providing food, cash and case management to new immigrants affected by the pandemic.
Previous awards were for promoting awareness of mental health and addiction among young people, promoting the construction and preservation of affordable housing, and advocating for comprehensive mental health care for low-income residents. Non-profit programs also have been selected for their work to reduce health disparities, improve health literacy and improve access to care.