May 17, 2016

INTERIM STATE SURGEON GENERAL MEETS WITH REGIONAL HEALTH LEADERS IN LEON COUNTY

Contact:
Communications Office
NewsMedia@flhealth.gov
(850) 245-4111

Tallahassee, Fla.—Today, Interim State Surgeon General Dr. Celeste Philip joined local health leaders in Leon County for the second to last stop on her statewide tour. Staff members met with Dr. Philip at the county health department office in Tallahassee to hold conversations about health priorities in the region.

“In Leon County, and in this region in general, we observe higher numbers of sexually transmitted diseases. During our time today, we talked about the need to reexamine best practices to decrease STD rates in young people and how to better ensure proper outreach and public messaging,” said Interim State Surgeon General Dr. Celeste Philip. “We also discussed the importance of more opportunities for our health officers to network with colleagues across the state. Being able to have that time for conversations helps in sharing successful approaches to improve health.”

“We were happy to host Dr. Philip today as we discussed health priorities at the county level,” said Health Officer for Leon County Claudia Blackburn. “The conversation was productive, and we were able to give feedback about how to best address the needs of our communities moving forward.”

“Our meeting with Dr. Philip this morning was a welcome opportunity to talk about local health issues,” said Health Officer for Jefferson and Madison counties Jennifer Johnson. “She let us know that everything is on the table for discussion regarding improvements and new areas of focus, and I left the meeting with a clear understanding of the department’s priorities.”

The goal of Dr. Philip’s statewide tour is to identify opportunities in Florida’s 67 counties to improve and collaborate on for the new State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP). The department is currently leading a multi-agency statewide effort to develop Florida’s SHIP for 2017-2020. The SHIP will provide the blueprint for effective, targeted and integrated action to improve the health of Floridians. Together with community partners, the department is currently gathering input to identify key health-related concerns facing the state and conducting a thorough analysis of factors that will help pinpoint the most important health issues for Florida.

Dr. Philip will wrap up her tour in mid-May and will share highlights along the away on the department’s Twitter and Facebook platforms using hashtag #FLHealthSHIP. 

About the Florida Department of Health

The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

Follow us on Twitter at @HealthyFla and on Facebook. For more information about the Florida Department of Health, please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.