Pottawattamie County Public Health Recognized by NACCHO for 'An Expression of Community'

Posted August 4, 2022
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Pottawattamie County’s– ‘An Expression of Community’ has been recognized with the Innovative Practice Bronze Award from the National Associations of County & City Health Officials (NACCHO). The award celebrates local health departments for developing innovative programs to meet the needs of their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The designation as a Bronze Innovative Practice demonstrates a high level of program innovation and reflects the collaboration, adaptability, and program resilience.

‘An Expression of Community’ was one of ten local health department programs to receive NACCHO’s Bronze Innovative Practice Award. ‘An Expression of Community’ was written in response to the early-2020 arrival of COVID-19 in Council Bluffs, IA. The Pottawattamie County Public Health Department and its “Public Health Leadership Team” planned and executed a high-profile series of local no-cost mass-vaccination clinics. The involvement of the residents of Pottawattamie County proved essential in ensuring the clinics were staffed and supported by local volunteer, non-profit, and business communities -- along with elected officials, and employees from other County departments.

“Working alongside and serving our community at the mass vaccine clinics was an amazing experience; we built relationships with the individuals that make up our community, and came together as a team,” Maria Sieck, Public Health Administrator.

Justin Shultz, Pottawattamie County Board Supervisor explains, “The one thing you will always find in our County, is the willingness of our community to roll up our sleeves and do whatever it takes to help out one another, especially in times of need. As a collective, the Board of Supervisors is eternally grateful to the citizens of Pottawattamie County for their efforts during such an unprecedented time in history. What a great honor it is to receive such wonderful recognition!”

“Local health departments have demonstrated remarkable innovation and resilience to better the health of their communities during the pandemic, and the 2022 Innovative Practice Awards highlight the very best practices,” said NACCHO’s Chief Executive Officer Lori Tremmel Freeman. “Winners excelled at various disciplines including promoting health equity, contact tracing, mobile testing, contactless medication delivery, and many more. NACCHO is very proud to join them in honoring the outstanding work done by local health departments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Innovative Practices are exciting approaches and strategies to local public health issues that were developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and were creatively adapted to meet the circumstances of the pandemic. The Innovative Practices honors are awarded to local health departments across the country for implementing programs that can demonstrate exemplary, adaptable programs with replicable outcomes. “An Expression of Community” is one of many successful public health practices in areas that range from health equity and face mask distribution programs to contactless delivery methods and drive through testing. Read more about these award-winning practices at www.NACCHO.org.