2023 Dr. Harold Keltz Distinguished Public Health Service Award Winner: Beverley Chang  

Beverley Chang, MPH, is the 2023 recipient of the Dr. Harold Keltz Distinguished Public Health Service Award.

 Ms. Chang, an internal medicine physician assistant with a master’s degree in public health, is a Peekskill resident who chairs the health committee of the Peekskill NAACP. Beverley Chang

The Dr. Harold Keltz Distinguished Public Health Service Award is presented to an individual or organization exemplifying the highest level of commitment and distinguished public health service to our community. The award is named for Dr. Keltz, a pulmonologist who devoted his career to the compassionate care of Tuberculosis patients in Westchester. As a tribute to his commitment to service, the board named this award for Dr. Keltz after his passing.

Beverley Chang led the committee’s efforts to inform and educate NAACP members and the Peekskill area community about COVID-19, so they could better protect themselves and their families. She and the members of the health committee also led efforts to promote other health topics aligned with the New York State Prevention Agenda, the County’s Health Improvement Plan and the National NAACP’s health priorities. Under her leadership, the Peekskill NAACP Health Committee has presented information on such topics as suicide prevention, domestic violence, sickle cell, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, summer safety and Alzheimer’s disease. Many of the presentations required collaboration with a number of other community organizations. She helped promote immunizations and helped organize COVID-19 vaccination events in Peekskill during the pandemic. During Black History Month in 2022, Ms. Chang and the health committee arranged a viewing of a documentary on health disparities and the importance of having more Black doctors and has encouraged minority students to pursue a career in medicine. She and the committee have secured a small COVID-19 health disparities grant from the New York State Department of Health to help address mental health.

 

 2023 J.R. Tesone Youth Public Health Service Award Winner: Jason Starr 

Jason Starr is a Briarcliff High School senior who channeled his concern for his grandmother during the pandemic into a public health research project that demonstrated a passion for public health and a concern for others. Using sophisticated disease modeling and computer coding, Jason created a website whereJason Starr communities could gauge the impact of intervention strategies while taking into account health disparities. He also founded Tutor Partnerships Incorporated, a not-for-profit tutoring network that helps school district set up free student-to-student tutoring and has chapters in 27 school districts. In fall 2023, Jason is headed to the University of Pennsylvania.

This award honors the memory of J.R. Tesone, a Westchester County Board of Health member who died in 2014.  J.R. Tesone devoted his life to making summers safe and fun for hundreds of children. He found his calling as a camp counselor and later became the dedicated owner and director of Breezemont Day Camp in Armonk.

2023 Commissioner’s Award to Michael Palumbo, MD, FACPMichael Palumbo MD

Michael Palumbo, MD, FACP, Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President at White Plains Hospital, is the 2023 recipient of the Commissioner’s Award.

Dr. Palumbo is board-certified in internal medicine. He has served as Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President for more than 13 years. Joining White Plains Hospital in 2005, he was previously the founding Medical Director of the adult hospitalist program there. Prior to joining White Plains Hospital, Dr. Palumbo practiced primary care at NYU.  He earned his medical degree at the Boston University School of Medicine.

Dr. Palumbo was selected for the Commissioner’s Award for his leadership and collaboration in vaccinating, testing and compassionately caring for Westchester residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Westchester County Health Commissioner Sherlita Amler, MD, said she especially appreciated his wise counsel during difficult times, and for the way he went above and beyond to heal and protect our community.

 

2023 Special Recognition Award to Yonkers Public Library’s Riverfront LibraryJesse Montero

Jesse Montero is the Director of Yonkers Public Library, the largest public library in Westchester County. One of its three locations is the Riverfront Library. Opened in 2002, Riverfront Library is a four-story, 70,000 square-foot facility that houses nearly 150,000 books and DVDS, the Library hosts a wide range of programs and services, a 450-seat auditorium, a learning and media lab, an art gallery, a local history room and a literacy solutions office. 

Yonkers Riverfront Library is being honored with a Special Recognition Award for collaborating with the Westchester County Department of Health to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yonkers Riverfront Library hosted six pop-up COVID-19 clinics in 2021 and 11 more in 2022. By providing a safe space where residents are at ease, the Library enabled the Westchester County Department of Health to deliver 1,715 COVID-19 vaccines to adults and children.

 

2023 Special Recognition Award to The LOFT LGBTQ+ Community CenterJudy Troilo

Judy Troilo is the executive director of The LOFT, Westchester’s first LGBTQ+ community
services center. Formed in 1983, The LOFT provides support groups, social groups, activities,
assistance, advocacy and health and wellness education.

The LOFT is being honored with a 2023 Special Recognition Award for its partnership with the Westchester County Department of Health in responding to the Mpox outbreak. The LOFT's staff quickly mobilized volunteers and hosted vaccine clinics over a nine-week period from July 28 through Sept. 22, 2022. The LOFT helped to promote these clinics to the LGBTQ+ community, assuring the Department’s response was effective and efficient.

The LOFT opened its White Plains Center early, provided refreshments for staff and volunteers, and tidied up after the clinics. In all, in partnership with the Westchester County Department of Health, the LOFT  hosted five clinics at which more than 700 inoculations were administered from July through September 2022.

Know Better, Live Better
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” - Maya Angelou

In July 2021, the Westchester County Department of Health (WCDH) received a federal grant to develop a health education program that addressed health disparities and health literacy in communities experiencing disproportionately high COVID-19 case and death rates. The pilot program relied on dialogue-based learning and engaging Trusted Messengers in a train-the-trainer program with the help of diverse partners, including healthcare providers and community- and faith-based organizations (CBOs).

Because of the positive outcomes observed using this model, WCDH will use the KBLB framework to engage new and existing community partners to support the Westchester County Executive’s recently-launched Westchester Tobacco Free Program. This initiative entails funding and implementing a public health education campaign to all residents highlighting the dangers of tobacco usage, offering tools to help smokers quit smoking, and supporting local community efforts to reduce smoking.

Who are Trusted Messengers   
We work with partners to identify Trusted Messengers, who are individuals who are passionate about community wellness and enjoy working collaboratively toward health equity. In addition to learning about the health topic of focus, Trusted Messengers learn how to moderate discussions among people of different backgrounds who bring diverse opinions to the table. After the training, Trusted Messengers will receive support to lead health information discussions in the communities they know best.

What do community or faith-based organizations contribute?
Community and faith-based organizations contribute their leadership and local knowledge to customize  trainings and discussion sessions to ensure cultural and linguistic appropriateness. They identify Trusted Messengers, as well as the communities that may benefit from having a Trusted Messenger in their neighborhoods.

What is the County Health Department’s role?
WCDH staff are the primary administrators of the program. They coordinate the collaboration of organizations and community, provide and monitor adherence to curriculum, share expertise developed during the KBLB pilot program and lead a program evaluation to measure the effectiveness of KBLB over time. WCDH also funds CBOs that meet certain requirements and help the health department implement KBLB among the populations they serve.

Guiding Principles

Community expertise over technical knowledge:
We prioritize building educational programs that are community-based and community-engaged. By collaborating with community and faith-based organizations and Trusted Messengers, we aim to develop and deliver interactive information sessions that are relevant, culturally sensitive, and linguistically appropriate for diverse Westchester communities.

Listening over lecturing:
KBLB develops health information sessions that are interactive discussions. Trusted Messengers and program participants are encouraged to share knowledge about barriers to health improvement in their community. That way, helpful information is exchanged in both directions.

Prevention over cure:
The popular phrase, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” guides our emphasis on health behaviors and resources to improve overall physical and mental well-being. We aim to equip Westchester residents with sustainable tools and knowledge to protect themselves and their loved ones from a broad range of health concerns.

Long-term solutions over quick fixes:
A holistic approach to our health can prepare us better to make health decisions when needed. We also aim to build lasting relationships with health providers, community organizations, faith networks, and the community at large. When new community education programs are developed, the foundation of  trust and understanding developed through the KBLB partnership experience that aids effective communication, resource-sharing, and mutual feelings of support will contribute to the success of ongoing community outreach efforts.

The Westchester County Department of Health is a community of professional public health workers who help you and your family enjoy better health. We protect and promote the health of the public through prevention, prolonging meaningful life and providing leadership in health crises.

What is Public Health? (WCDOH Youtube video)

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