Announcing the First Community Health Enhancement Awards
The Dr. David Satcher Community Health Improvement Awards Recognize Community Health Champions
Last night, the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) hosted the Dr. David Satcher Community Health Improvement Awards ceremony, honouring individuals who have made significant contributions to community health in the greater Rochester region.
The awards, named after Dr. David Satcher, a former U.S. Surgeon General and public health leader, were created by URMC to acknowledge those who work tirelessly to improve the wellbeing of underserved children, reduce lead poisoning, and provide outreach to at-risk mothers and children.
One of the recipients was Peter Szilagyi, M.D., M.P.H., professor and chief of the Division of General Pediatrics. Szilagyi has been a leader both locally and nationally in improving healthcare for underserved children for 23 years. His many accomplishments include the successful community-based program to reduce disparities in immunization rates in Rochester.
Another honouree was Senator Jim Alesi, who received an honorary award for his advocacy and support for outreach and health education programs aimed at underserved populations. Alesi has been a champion for those at greatest risk for poor health, securing funding for various health initiatives, such as the Center for Community Health's Healthy Living and Vida en Salud programs, a physical activity and health promotion program in the African American and Latino communities, and the Healthy Living Library, a unique educational community resource dedicated to health and wellness.
Katrina Korfmacher, Ph.D., assistant professor and deputy director of the Community Outreach and Education Core of the Department of Environmental Medicine, was also recognised for her decade-long efforts to reduce lead exposure for children in Monroe County. Working with the Coalition to Prevent Lead Poisoning (CPLP), Korfmacher helped devise and implement outreach, education, and advocacy activities that focused on reducing lead exposure. These efforts culminated in a historic lead abatement ordinance passed by the City of Rochester in 2005, significantly reducing the number of children with elevated blood lead levels in the county.
Mardy Sandler, L.M.S.W., chief social worker and clinical manager for Community Outreach at Strong Memorial Hospital, has worked for thirty-four years, primarily in Women's Health and Pediatrics, to improve the wellbeing of the community's families, women, and children. Sandler developed a comprehensive, multiservice home visitation program called the Parent and Child Training Program (PACT) to address the physical and psychosocial health needs of families at risk.
The specific creator of the Dr. David Satcher Community Health Improvement Awards is not disclosed in the search results. However, the award's use within the academic or medical community focused on public health and community health improvement is evident, as demonstrated by Kevin A. Fiscella, M.D., M.P.H., a nominee for the award[4]. For more information about the creator and their current role, additional direct sources or organizations associated with Dr. David Satcher would likely maintain that information.
The recipients of the awards were faculty, staff, and community partners of URMC, all of whom are making a difference in the lives of countless individuals in the greater Rochester region.
- The Dr. David Satcher Community Health Improvement Awards honor individuals who work in the medical-conditions, chronic-diseases, and respiratory-conditions fields, focusing on community health.
- Science, particularly in the realm of environmental medicine, plays a crucial role in these awards, as illustrated by Katrina Korfmacher's work on reducing lead exposure in children.
- Workplace-wellness is another aspect, with Senator Jim Alesi advocating for health initiatives like the Healthy Living and Vida en Salud programs that promote fitness-and-exercise and nutrition in underserved populations.
- Eye-health is also significant, as shown by the CPLP's outreach efforts to reduce lead exposure, which can lead to eye-health issues.
- Skin-care is likely included in the realm of health-and-wellness, considering the comprehensive approach taken by Mardy Sandler's Parent and Child Training Program.
- The awards also recognize therapies-and-treatments for various medical-conditions, as evidenced by Peter Szilagyi's success in reducing disparities in immunization rates.
- Parenting is a crucial part of the awards, as the Parent and Child Training Program aims to address the physical and psychosocial health needs of families at risk.
