PORT TOWNSEND — Students of the Port Townsend and Chimacum schools who organized and participated in a walkout to support a movement for schools safe from guns won the Jefferson County Board of Health’s Public Health Leadership award.
The Board of Health announced its 2018 Public Health Heroes at a ceremony Thursday afternoon, which marked National Public Health Week.
“The students stood in solidarity to support the Parkland victims and survivors of yet another school shooting,” said Ariel Speser, vice chairman of the board as she presented the award.
“The message that they deserve and have a right to expect safe schools without gun violence is part of a national youth movement to say to Congress and those in power that “Enough is Enough.
“Gun violence is a public health issue and would benefit from a public health intervention, which is about safety and saving lives, focusing on what the data tells us, not about the politics surrounding the issue of guns,” she continued.
“I speak for board and say thank you. You inspire us to do a better job.”
Honors also were given in the categories of Community Health Promotion, Community-based Organization and Protection of Communicable Disease. A Special Recognition Award also was presented.
Public Health Leadership
The March 14 walkouts were organized in Port Townsend by Hannah Marx, Ingrid Schultz, Mimi Molotsky, Lilly Carrillo, Ollie Crecca and Annika Carlson. In Chimacum, student organizers include Farryn Olson Wailand, Clara Johnson Noble, Aurora Ann Plunkett, Ava Vaugh, Zula Mosher, Caitlyn Boyd and Akira Anderson.
The Health Board has said that injury by gun — whether suicide or violence or accident — is a leading cause of death for youth and young adults.
Public Health Promotion
Chris Macklin, assistant manager of Jefferson County Public Works Parks and Recreation Division, was given the Public Health Promotion award.
“No one in Jefferson County is responsible for helping more kids fall in love with physical activity for life, and helping adults continually rediscover the joy of exercise and sports,” the health board said in its award announcement.
The board said that Macklin makes recreational opportunities accessible to all county residents and has grown programs that provide physical activity and mentorship, both important for developmental health.
He encourages teams to develop, practice and play in Quilcene, the board said, and his work with the Junior Hoops Basketball League, and both spring and fall Youth Soccer Leagues exposes more than 900 participants to these sports.
In addition, the board said, Macklin recruits 40 volunteer coaches that he trains and schedules; partners with the health department by facilitating a WIC Pop-Up clinic, taking important nutrition services out to the communities that need them; and organizes a co-ed softball league.
Community-Based Organization
Nat Jacob serves as the sole public defender in support of the Jefferson County Mental Health Therapeutic Court.
He represents “vulnerable clients who are almost entirely indigent, are often forgotten and given up on, and who have likely experienced intense amounts of trauma throughout their lives making trauma-informed services especially important,” the health board said in awarding the honor.
Jacob works closely and collaboratively with local police, sheriff deputies, mental health professionals, social workers, case managers, prosecuting attorneys, probation staff, substance use disorder professionals and the District Court Judge, according to the board.
”Jacob is a true champion of mental health issues on a systemic level and for advocating for access to mental health services in our local community,” the board said.
Protection of Communicable Disease
The Jefferson County Health Department’s Syringe Exchange Program and its staff — including Lisa McKenzie, Communicable Disease Lead, Public Health Nurses Julia Danskin and Margie Boyd, and former health department ARNP Denis Langois — were honored as Public Health Heroes.
The Syringe Exchange Program was begun in 2000 to protect health and prevent the spread of communicable diseases in the intravenous-drug using community.
It provides clean syringes in exchange for used ones, along with such services as providing prevention materials, risk reduction education, naloxone overdose prevention and referrals.
Education includes information on HIV, hepatitis, sexually-transmitted diseases, overdose prevention, encouraging one-time use of needles, health alerts and immunizations.
Internal referrals are for HIV, hepatitis C, and STD screening, as well as family planning, tuberculosis screening and immunizations. External referrals include drug and alcohol treatment, medical care, dental care, mental health care, domestic violence, food, clothing and shelter.
The board considers the work important, it said, adding: “In the face of a national opioid epidemic — with Jefferson County being no exception — the department’s work becomes even more of a crisis response approach to protecting health.”
In 2017, the program resulted in 91,290 syringes exchanged – significantly up from 47,790 exchanged in 2016. One hundred and thirty-five naloxone kits were distributed and several hundred referrals, educational information, IV drug use prevention educational materials, condoms/barriers, and outreach education were provided.
Chimacum School District’s Sarah McNulty was given a Special Recognition Award by the Jefferson County Board of Health for her work as an occupational therapist and for her volunteer work assisting youth, particularly those with limited mobility. (Jeannie McMacken/Peninsula Daily News)
Special Recognition Award
Chimacum School District’s Sarah McNulty is an occupational therapist who also volunteers to assist youth – particularly those with limited mobility.
McNulty works with youth from 3 to 21 who have special needs to assist them in the “occupation” of being a student, the board of health said in making the award.
She previously worked in Quilcene and Port Townsend, “bringing her caring, compassionate professional expertise to help kids through Jefferson County,” the board said.
McNulty also is vice-president of JUMP!, a nonprofit raising funds to build an accessible playground at H.J. Carroll Park in Chimacum.
She volunteers to bring the Science Fair to Grant Street Elementary School, served on the Port Townsend Library Advisory Board for three years and is involved in a research project at the University of Washington on mobility devices.
“Because of McNulty’s dedication to improving the health and well-being of differently-abled youth in Jefferson County, the Board of Health recognized McNulty as a Public Health Hero,” it was said as she was given the award.
Since 2007, 61 individuals, groups and organizations have been recognized as Public Health Heroes by the Board of Health. The honor goes to those whose work or volunteer efforts exemplify a commitment to protect and improve the health of the community.
Chairman of the Board John Austin said those selected this year were truly deserving of the recognition. The Board of Health accepted nominations from the public and a selection team reviewed the candidates.
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Jefferson County Editor/Reporter Jeannie McMacken can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jmcmacken@peninsuladailynews.com.
