Genesee County Health Department

Better Life Through Better Health

Release Date: April 1, 2011            End Date: April 8, 2011

Contact Person: Suzanne Cupal, Community Health Analyst

Phone: 810-768-7970

RE: 3^rd Annual Robert M. Pestronk Excellence in Public Health Award – the Bronze Bow Tie – Awarded to Genesee Health Plan

           The Genesee County Board of Health in conjunction with the Genesee County Health Department has selected the Genesee Health Plan as the 2011 recipient of the Robert Pestronk Excellence in Public Health Award -“The Bronze Bow Tie”.

The award will be presented at the Genesee County Health Department Public Health Week Conference entitled “Healthy People, Healthy Places.” Over 150 leaders and community members from Genesee County and across the state will gather at the Riverfront Conference Center in Flint, Michigan, to discuss the impact “where we live” has on our health and the health of our communities.

The Genesee Health Plan’s (GHP) mission is to improve access to the health care system for persons unable to pay for health care by providing them a medical “home” and coverage for health care services through a cost effective, high quality, managed health care system. GHP covers 26,000 uninsured adults and is supported by a millage that voters passed in 2006.

Robert Pestronk noted “I'm delighted with the selection of the Health Plan and recognition of GHP Executive Director Linda Hamacher. It wouldn't have happened without her. She was passionate about the idea from the start, dedicating herself to creating a foundation, seeking ideas to build on that foundation, never shying from a challenge, and demonstrating creative leadership. The Plan is a national model which because it was developed in a smaller community, never receiving the attention of other efforts to cover the uninsured. But it has been stable, accomplishing real health outcomes, changing the health care system in which it is embedded, making creative use of local assets (people, organizations, and other resources) And, truth be told, it is light years ahead of most of the other nationally recognized models."

Previous recipients of the Bronze Bow Tie award include Robert Pestronk and Nate Jonker and the Clio Healthy Community Initiative. The Bronze Bow Tie award was created to honor the contributions of former Genesee County Health Officer, Robert M. Pestronk, a visionary leader in the field of public health and known for his ever-present bow tie.

The Genesee County Health Department’s Public Health Week Conference serves as an opportunity for local and state public health officials, health care professionals, school officials and students, as well as community residents and community-based organizations, to expand their knowledge, discuss current and future issues important to the public’s health, and explore strategies that could improve the health of communities. Attendees will be able to use the information from this event to strengthen their roles, and those of their organizations and communities, in improving community and individual health and quality of life.

Dr. Linda Rae Murray, President of the American Public Health Association, is the conference keynote speaker and will address the problem of youth violence. The conference will also feature six sessions led by local experts and speakers from across

Michigan who will address contemporary challenges including place and health, obtaining healthy, affordable foods, the effect of the economic crisis on health, and how environmental factors impact our sleep.

            The conference is held in conjunction with the National Public Health Week, April 4 - 10, 2011. In 1995, former President William Jefferson Clinton proclaimed the first full week of April as National Public Health Week (NPHW). Since then, communities across the country have celebrated NPHW to recognize the contributions of public health and highlight issues that are important to improving the public’s health.

            Media may contact Suzanne Cupal at 810- 768-7970 or scupal@gchd.us with questions or to schedule an interview.

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