U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams speaks on the opening day of the 2019 North Carolina Public Health Leaders’ Conference.
Feb. 8, 2019 – Improving the health of Americans and North Carolinians was the focus of the North Carolina Public Health Leaders’ Conference that took place Jan. 24-25 in Raleigh.
The annual conference drew 350 people and is a collaboration between NCDHHS’ Division of Public Health, local health departments and other partners to improve public health in North Carolina and ensure engagement across multiple national and local efforts.
The two-day conference opened with an address from U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams on national Healthy People 2030, a 10-year plan under development that consists of science-based national objectives to improve the health of all Americans.
This work complements the Healthy NC 2030 project, a state-level effort that will be led by experts and leaders from multiple fields as they develop a common set of public health objectives and targets for the state over the next decade.
Healthy NC 2030 will focus on health equity and overall drivers of health outcomes. These include health behaviors, clinical care, social and economic factors and the physical environment people live, work and play in. The objectives will serve as the population health improvement plan for DHHS’ Division of Public Health.
Other key topics included the North Carolina Early Childhood Action Plan and issues related to comprehensive care for women with opioid use disorders and their children.
Sally Herndon (center) is presented with the Ronald H. Levine Legacy Award by State Health Director and DHHS Chief Medical Officer Elizabeth Tilson (left) and Division of Public Health Acting Director Beth Lovette.
During the conference, Sally Herndon was honored with the Ronald H. Levine Legacy Award for her distinguished record of achievement in expanding the scope and impact of public health services and programs and enhancing public health effectiveness through policy development.
Herndon serves as the head of DPH’s Tobacco Prevention and Control Branch. She has been a leader in public health efforts on tobacco prevention and control since 1991. She helped build support for the 2010 law that makes all North Carolina restaurants and bars smoke-free, working with state and local partners to successfully support the implementation of the law.
Pitt County Health Director John H. Morrow, MD, MPH, also received a Levine Award at the conference.