In conjunction with Mental Health Month in May and National Public Health Week in April, the Deschutes County Behavioral and Public Health Advisory Boards have announced their selections for the 2016 Health Heroes awards. The awards will be presented at the April 27 Public Health Advisory Board (PHAB) monthly meeting.
The Health Heroes awards honor an individual and a group that have demonstrated excellence in promoting and protecting behavioral and public health through their work and in their daily lives.
“What an honor to recognize the great work of citizens who are passionate about making our communities healthy and livable,” said Deschutes County Public Health Advisory Board Vice Chair, Kate Wells.
This year’s individual award winner is Susan Keys, Ph.D., associate professor and senior researcher at Oregon State University – Cascades, College of Public Health and Human Sciences. Susan is known as the “local expert” on suicide prevention by primary care providers and others in Central Oregon health care. The passion that Susan has in assisting our communities in Central Oregon to prevent suicides is noted through her work with Deschutes County Behavioral Health, the Deschutes County Public Health Advisory Board, as a facilitator on the Central Oregon Suicide Prevention Alliance and as part of the Primary Care Suicide Prevention work group. Susan has been and will continue to be an amazing asset to Central Oregon communities.
The Group Health Hero award winner is Central Oregon Veterans Ranch, led by founder Alison Perry. Central Oregon Veterans Ranch is a 19-acre ranch located between Bend and Redmond where veterans are actively engaged in agriculture projects that facilitate community and camaraderie. Beginning this summer, the ranch will facilitate peace at end of life for up to four veterans in an Adult Foster Home on the property. The ranch currently serves as a hub for peer support and resources for veterans from the broader community, with an emphasis on engaging hard to reach veterans suffering from the effects of combat trauma.
