TOMPKINS COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
Alice Cole, RN, MSE – Public Health Director
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 03, 2008
For more information contact: Alice Cole at 274-6674 or Sigrid
Connors at 274-6656
TCHD Receives NYSDOH Honor
Carol Mohler, BS, RN, a Team Leader from the Tompkins County
Health Department was recognized as a Public Health Works! Honoree
on June 4, 2008.
Ms. Carol Mohler was selected for the Honor Roll because of
her dedication to the field of public health and her coordination
of the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program in Tompkins
County.
Ms. Mohler was one of 71 outstanding public health employees
from the State’s local health departments who were inducted
into the 2008 Public Health Works! Honor Roll. At the New York
State Association of County Health Officials’ annual public
health conference on April 30th in Cooperstown, Commissioner
Richard F. Daines, MD, presented certificates to a number of
honorees. Thirty-two county health departments nominated a total
of 71 individuals, either a single employee or teams of employees,
for their outstanding work in the field of public health.
The Public Health Works! Honor Roll salutes outstanding public
health employees nominated from local departments for exceptional
work in promoting and protecting the health of New Yorkers.
The Honor Roll was established by the New York State Department
of Health in 2007 to highlight the key role public health workers
play in protecting and promoting the health of New Yorkers,
and to encourage others to join their ranks. The Public Health
Works! Honor Roll also serves to raise awareness among New Yorkers
of the essential services that public health workers and the
public health system provide.
“I am pleased to recognize outstanding members of our
local public health workforce and their essential role in efforts
to make New York the healthiest state in the nation,”
said Commissioner Daines. “We want young people to understand
the important work these public health professionals accomplish,
and consider careers in public health. If you enjoy science
and math, like to work outside, want a job with a variety of
activities and appreciate helping others, public health could
be the field for you.”
NYSACHO Executive director JoAnn Bennison said, “Local
public health leaders are grateful for the opportunity to recognize
the work of their front-line staff who are truly dedicated to
serving the citizens of New York State.”
NYSACHO is a statewide association representing all 58 local
health departments in New York State. For more information on
Public Health Week and public health careers, please visit Public
Health Works! on the Department’s web site at: www.nyhealth.gov/prevention/public_health_works
A nursing Team Leader for over 16 years, Ms. Mohler is responsible
for communicable disease case surveillance, maternal child case
management, and is the coordinator for the Childhood Lead Poisoning
Prevention Program.
In 1997, Ms. Mohler created the Lead Poisoning Prevention Network
(LPPN), a model workgroup of public health, building, and housing
professionals. Through her leadership, the LPPN effectively
amended the local Article 9 Sanitary Code to include Exterior
Paint Removal Guidelines.
Her many career achievements include: assisting Cortland County
in vaccinating residents during a meningitis outbreak; providing
expertise during meningitis, suspect SARS, cryptosporidia, pertussis
and mumps outbreaks; giving up a summer weekend to prepare letters
during a pertussis outbreak; and assuring the safe storage of
vaccine during power outages.
Ms. Mohler has been a key player in several joint CDC and New
York State Department of Health investigations including the
privilege of swabbing the rear-end of a pet iguana, to identify
and confirm the Salmonella culprit and visiting a cow barn to
assure veterinary students that washing hands and wearing gloves
wouldn’t harm their tough image.
Ms. Mohler administers rabies vaccinations; acts as Charge
Nurse for childhood and adult immunization and seasonal flu
clinics; serves as an administrator on-call; and makes home
visits to high-risk maternal-child clients.
Director of Patient Services, Sigrid Connors notes “Carol
is the very definition of grace, dedication, integrity, and
professionalism.” Carol’s supervisor, Karen Bishop,
remarked that Carol is a role model and mentor to staff and
students. And, physicians frequently call for her expertise.
She is a skilled nurse leader, a dedicated public health worker,
and a joy to work with.
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