Batavia, OH – Julianne Nesbit, Health Commissioner for the Clermont County Health District, along with more than 100 other new and aspiring public health officials from across the nation, recently graduated from the National Association of County and City Health Officials’ (NACCHO) Survive and Thrive: Roadmap for New Local Health Officials program. The program, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the de Beaumont Foundation, is designed to enhance the skills of top executives at local health departments. Participants in the 12-month program gained practical tools and experiences to help them work with elected officials and community partners, manage strategic planning and health department resources, and discover approaches for addressing challenges unique to local health department leaders.
“My participation in Survive and Thrive has been very rewarding. I had the opportunity to build a network of colleagues and resources from across the nation. What I learned over the last year will better equip me to lead our team at the Clermont County Health District and engage with vital community stakeholders to help those we serve,” stated Ms. Nesbit.
“We are proud to have the opportunity to train public health leaders through Survive and Thrive,” said NACCHO Executive Director Robert M. Pestronk. “The Affordable Care Act and other factors are making our country’s health climate increasingly complex and competitive. That’s why it is even more important that dedicated public health leaders have the insights and tools they need to grow, flourish, and adapt with the times.”
Since 2008, nearly 190 new and aspiring local health officials have been trained through the Survive and Thrive program. Current and retired local health officials with five or more years of experience serve as Survive and Thrive coaches. These volunteer coaches complement the formal Survive and Thrive curriculum by guiding individual development plans, leading discussions about issues important to the program fellows, and reviewing assessments and performance reports.
“It was an honor to be selected for NACCHO’s Survive and Thrive program. NACCHO is at the forefront of public health improvement and provides local health departments with the tools and resources they need to succeed,” said Nesbit. “As a result of this training, I am even more confident in the ability of our agency to tackle our community’s most pressing health issues such as chronic health conditions associated with obesity and physical inactivity, drug overdoses, and environmental factors that affect the health of our community.”
Information about the Clermont County General Health District can be found at www.clermonthealthdistrict.org or by contacting 513-732-7499.
