Health Department Award
Health Department Wins National RecognitionThe DuPage County Health Department received a Model Practice Award from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO).
Celebrating local health departments that develop programs demonstrating exemplary and replicable best practices in response to a critical local public health need, the Model Practice Award recognized the DuPage Narcan Program (DNP).
Created in 2013 in response to a striking increase in heroin-related deaths in DuPage County, the DNP is the first county-wide overdose prevention program in Illinois to be approved by the Division of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse (DASA). Narcan, also known as naloxone, reverses the effects of heroin and other opioids when administered.
"The Model Practice Award is a confirmation of our commitment to developing responsive and innovative public health programs that improve the health of local residents," said Karen Ayala, Executive Director.
With a focus on health departments that have built strong alliances with partners in order to bridge the gap between clinical medicine and population health, DuPage County Health Department was also awarded the "Silver Local Health Department of the Year" by NACCHO.