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Mineola, NY – The Nassau County Department of Health was honored with the 2021 Bronze Innovative Practice Award by the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO). The award celebrates local health departments for developing innovative programs to meet the needs of their community during the COVID-19 pandemic. The designation as a Bronze Innovative Practice demonstrates a high level of program innovation and reflects the collaboration, adaptability, and program resilience. This collaboration between the Department’s Administration and Fiscal units was one of 20 local health department programs to receive NACCHO’s Bronze Innovative Practice Award.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the work and dedication demonstrated by The Nassau County Department of Health throughout this pandemic. This achievement for their remarkable in-house innovation is yet another accolade earned by an award-winning Health department, and it proves how this Department goes above and beyond to protect the health and wellbeing of our communities every single day,” said County Executive Curran.
“The Nassau County Department of Health rose to every challenge throughout the pandemic, and this award is evidence of exactly that,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Lawrence Eisenstein. “I am incredibly proud of the work that my team has done in the last sixteen months to save lives and make our community safe again.”
Nassau County Department of Health continues to be a national leader in public health, and since 2013 has earned 21 Model and Promising Practice Awards - by far the most awards in the entire State of New York.
The Department was recognized for its COVID-19 Workforce Response administrative tracking system. As the Department’s 200 employees were redeployed from regular duties to 24/7 emergency response, none of the county’s regular timekeeping tools had the capacity to track actual work hours and absences. The tool, built in Excel with advanced functions, provides evidence-based information that millions of dollars in personnel hours are eligible for reimbursement through FEMA and other state and federal emergency agencies.
Innovative Practices are exciting approaches and strategies to local public health issues that were developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and were creatively adapted to meet the circumstances of the pandemic. The Innovative Practices honors are awarded to local health departments across the country for implementing programs that can demonstrate exemplary of adaptable programs with replicable outcomes. COVID-19 Workforce Response is one of many successful public health practices in areas that range from health equity and face mask distribution programs to contactless delivery methods and drive through testing. Read more about these award-winning practices at the Innovative Practices Database.
About the National Association of County and City Health Officials
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the nation’s nearly 3,000 local governmental health departments. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities.