Madison, WI - Six individuals and organizations will be honored this Thursday for the positive impact they have made to public health in Madison and Dane County.

The 2007 Public Health Awards will be presented at a ceremony at the Warner Park Community Recreation Center, 1625 Northport Drive, Madison at 1:30 pm.

The recipients are:

Community Pharmacy (Advocacy Award)
For working with Public Health and advocating for low-income populations to assure medication needs are met.

Dr. Jay Hazen, DDS, Dentistry for Madison (Distinguished Service Award)
For dedication and ongoing commitment to providing dental exams and assuring treatment for children without access to dental care.

Senator Mark Miller (Leadership Award)
For legislative efforts to protect the environment and assure access to care, and for providing leadership on Public Health unification efforts.

Dr. George Mejicano, Infectious Disease Section, UW School of Medicine and Public Health (Leadership Award)
For providing leadership to assure that Public Health and other health care providers have the knowledge, skills and tools necessary to manage tuberculosis cases.

John Stanley, Dane County Coroner (Partnership Award)
For partnering with Public Health and other organizations on educational efforts to prevent unintentional injuries and deaths of babies and young children.

PACT (Parents and Children Together), Exchange Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse (Prevention Award)
For providing parenting education and support for parents with cognitive limitations.

"We are very pleased to have the chance to recognize these individuals and organizations. Their efforts were truly above and beyond what is expected to ensure good health for others and represent a significant contribution in support of our vision for healthy people in Dane County communities," said Dr. Thomas Schlenker, Director of Public Health for Madison and Dane County. "Behind each of these awards is a story about touching lives in ways that make our community a better place. These awards are a small but important way to say thank you."

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