Awards

MPHA AWARD DESCRIPTIONS

W. Scott Johnson Award: This is the most prestigious award presented by MPHA to an individual for distinguished service in the field of public health in Missouri. The award is given in commemoration of the skills, integrity, devotion to duty and constructive leadership which characterized the life of W. Scott Johnson.

W. Scott Johnson Award Winners

Group Merit Award: This award gives recognition to an agency or group making a significant contribution to public health in Missouri within the past five years. The agency or group may be local or statewide. It can be either an official or voluntary agency or group. However, if an official agency is nominated, the activity should have been beyond the usual public health activities engaged in by the agency. The agency or group need not be located in Missouri, if the contribution was made in the State of Missouri.

Media Award: Media awards are given to recognize newspapers, radio and television stations making significant contributions to public health education in Missouri through the media in the past calendar year. There are three categories of awards: 1) newspaper, 2) radio, and 3) television. The media organizations nominated must be located in Missouri. A media award may be given for a single series, or for cumulative publications or programs, occurring within the calendar year prior to the annual meeting. Each MPHA chapter may select and submit one nominee per each media category. Individual MPHA members may also submit nominees.

Publication Award: The publication award is presented to a member of MPHA in good standing in recognition of an article or series of articles published. The winning article(s) must be of professional quality and contain accurate information and be pertinent to public health issues in Missouri. The article(s) must have been published within a professional journal during the past calendar year. Journal articles may be regional or statewide in nature.

Robert L. Northcutt Award: (legislative award) This award is presented to an individual or group who significantly advanced legislation to improve the public health of the citizens of Missouri. Eligible recipients may include lawmakers from the state, federal or local level; or a citizen whose diligent efforts were instrumental in the passage of a public health law or ordinance

Certificate of Merit Award(s): Each chapter may select a member of their chapter as recipient of the Chapter’s Certificate of Merit Award. The awardee(s) should be chosen based on his/her contribution to public health in Missouri. Recommendations should be based on: achievements of the individual in the field of public health; the relationship of the achievements to the improved health of the community; professional activities; community service activities; publications; and any other information which would have a significant bearing on his/her qualification for the MPHA Certificate of Merit.

Local Public Health (SLPHA) Award

The Section for Local Public Health Agencies (SLPHA) chair at each year’s Fall meeting will appoint the Awards Committee during the business meeting. The Awards Committee will be chaired by the Immediate Past Chair, and will review all nominations that were submitted at least 60 days prior to the scheduled Joint Public Health meeting. Multiple awards may be made each year. The Awards Committee shall determine the recipient(s) and the Executive Director will then order the awards materials to be presented to the recipient(s). The Chair-Elect shall be responsible for preparing a press release and other appropriate informational materials to publicize the award.

Any agency that is a currently a member of SLPHA may submit nominations for any SLPHA award. Nominations will be accepted up to 60 days prior to the scheduled Public Health Meeting. Nominations for the Mentor Award should be submitted using the Annual Mentor Award nomination form.

The SLPHA Chair and the Executive Director will present the award(s) to the recipients or their representatives at the Public Health meeting.

Award Categories

Mentor Award:

Purpose: An important factor in sustaining a strong and effective local public health agency presence in the State of Missouri has been the vision, leadership and support provided by certain dedicated individuals. These outstanding public health professionals serve as role models and inspire and invigorate public health colleagues statewide. They also influence citizens and elected officials by providing by example a positive view of public health. This award is intended to recognize these tireless architects, builders and promoters of local public health.

Eligibility: Any past or current public health practitioner who has worked in the field of public health for at least 5 years is eligible to be nominated for this award. This eligibility is not limited to those associated with local public health agencies, however, nominees from other sectors should have a clear connection with local public health and should have, or have had, demonstrable leadership and mentoring roles relating to local public health agencies.

Excellence in Collaboration Award:

Purpose: This award honors a person or agency that has worked collaboratively with SLPHA or its members to achieve public health goals that could not have been reached otherwise.

Special Award

Purpose: A Special Award may be given to honor any person who has contributed to the betterment of local public health in Missouri, upon the approval of the Awards Committee.

Legislative Friend of Public Health Award:

Purpose: Strong legislative proponents and local elected officials are essential to the effectiveness of the public health system and the viability of local public health agencies. This award serves to recognize a Legislator or local elected official who has worked to improve public health by sponsoring or supporting legislation and/or budget initiatives or supported local policies or health departments that strengthen the public health system in Missouri.

Eligibility: Any current or past member of the Missouri House of Representatives or the Missouri Senate, any staff member of a legislator, or any local elected official is eligible to be nominated for this award.