investigates animal bites , where the animal may need to be quarantined for possible rabies or the person bitten may need to receive rabies preventative treatments .
There are other services provided by that branch as well . “ We get a lot of questions about bedbugs ,” Tomlinson said , as well as how to prevent infestations .
But while part of the health department ’ s job is to cite people for doing bad things , the staff there also works diligently to recognize those who do well . Last year , the department honored the late Dr . Hossein Fallahzadeh for his diligent work in helping keep Pulaski and the surrounding communities healthy and safe . He was the first recipient of an award quickly renamed the “ Dr . Hossein Fallahzadeh Public Health Hero Award Presented by the Lake Cumberland District Health Department .”
And while Tomlinson acknowledges the name is a bit of a mouthful , the goal is to lift up health heroes who go above and beyond for the community .
This year ’ s recipient was Dr . Richard Miles from Russell County , a longtime member of the local and district boards of health as well as the chief medical officer for Russell County Hospital and the medical director for
Rural Health Clinic Family Practice Associates .
Tomlinson said the award will be given out each year in the first week of April as part of National Public Health Week .
Nominations for the 2024 award will be taken in February , and will be accepted from all 10 counties in the district .
“ You don ’ t have to be a doctor to win the award ,” she noted . “ There are lots of people who do good things : County extension agents , nurses , doctors , school teachers , administrators .”
LCDHD also honors its own staff monthly for the good work they do . In the past , this has been through an “ Employee of the Month ” award .
However , that has now been renamed to an “ Employee of Excellence ” award , Tomlinson said .
“ We ’ re looking more internally at things our staff are doing that are truly excellent – going above and beyond to do extra services and extra things to make our communities and our patients ’ lives easier ,” she said .
For more information about LCDHD and its services , visit its website at lcdhd . org , follow LCDHD on Facebook , or keep up-to-date on any of the social media platforms .
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May 2023 SEKY - Life in Southeast Kentucky • 13