Health District announces 2014 Public Health Heroes

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 30, 2014

LAS VEGAS – The Southern Nevada Health District announced its annual Public Health Heroes, recognition given to individuals or organizations whose efforts positively affect the health and well-being of the community. This year’s winners were honored at the April 28 Southern Nevada District Board of Health meeting.

The 2014 Public Health Heroes are:

Green Our Planet

In January 2013, Green Our Planet launched its Outdoor Garden Classroom Program with the goal of helping schools raise funds to build outdoor vegetable gardens. The signature program provides schools with a ‘turn-key’ program including funds from outside the school district, garden installation and maintenance, a curriculum, teacher training, and pairing school gardens with local chefs and businesses. To date, Green Our Planet has raised more than $140,000 and has built 22 school gardens that educate more than 20,000 students.

CVS Caremark

Earlier this year, CVS Caremark announced it would no longer sell tobacco products at its 7,600 stores across the country starting October 1. CVS has recognized that selling tobacco products – the number one cause of preventable death – is fundamentally incompatible with its commitment to improving the health of its customers. CVS’ decision comes as the nation marks the 50th anniversary of the first Surgeon General’s report on smoking and health.

Teen Advocates for Pregnancy Prevention Youth Council

Started in 2012, the Teen Advocates for Pregnancy Prevention or TAPP is a subcommittee of the health district’s teen pregnancy prevention program. The council consists of 10 young people, all of whom are volunteers, who represent seven local zip codes within the community with high rates of teen pregnancies. These members of the youth council are committed to educating and encouraging their peers to make responsible sexual health choices and they are working to build a sustainable network so teens have the information and resources they need to prevent unplanned pregnancies, STDs and HIV infections. TAPP has received the 2013 and 2014 City of Las Vegas Youth Neighborhood Association Partnership Program Board community service learning project grant.

Public Health Heroes are nominated by health district staff members for their efforts in supporting one or more of the 10 Essential Public Health Services:

1. Monitor the health status to identify and solve community health problems.
2. Diagnose and investigate health problems and health hazards in the community.
3. Inform, educate and empower people about health issues.
4. Mobilize community partnerships and action to identify and solve health problems.
5. Develop policies and plans that support individual and community health efforts.
6. Enforce laws and regulations that protect health and ensure safety.
7. Link people to needed health services, assure the provision of health care when unavailable.
8. Assure competent public and personal health care workforce.
9. Evaluate effectiveness, accessibility and quality of personal and population-based health services.
10. Research for new insights and innovative solution to health problems.

The Southern Nevada Health District serves as the local public health authority for Clark County, Boulder City, Henderson, Las Vegas, Mesquite and North Las Vegas. The agency safeguards the public health of the community’s residents and visitors through innovative programs, regulations, and initiatives focused on protecting and promoting their health and well-being. More information about the Health District, its programs, services, and the regulatory oversight it provides is available at www.SNHD.info. Follow the Health District on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.