Public Health Works! Honor Roll

The Public Health Works! Honor Roll recognizes the local public health workforce as an essential component of Commissioner of Health James V. McDonald public health agenda to improve the health and well-being of all New Yorkers and to promote health equity in all populations who experience disparities. At the heart of all successful public health initiatives are the workers who promote and protect the public's health and safety.

Featured Public Health Employee(s)

Westchester County Department of Health

  • Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPP)

    • Leslie Liberatore, Public Health Services Coordinator; Nicole Benevento, Associate Public Health Sanitarian; Aji Cherian, Public Health Sanitarian; Ronniery De La Cruz, Public Health Sanitarian; Mehmet Ergun, Public Health Sanitarian; Christopher Petzold, Public Health Sanitarian; Mario Zeppetelli, Public Health Sanitarian; Rosemarie Camia, Public Health Nurse; Claudia Toledo-Chow, Public Health Nurse; Michael Connery, Community Health Worker
    • Not pictured: Millie Melendez, Staff Assistant

    The Westchester County Department of Health’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPP) works to prevent and eliminate childhood lead poisoning throughout the county. The program involves collaboration with members of the community, as well as with governmental and non-governmental organizations that work with families, to increase awareness of the harmful effects of lead.

    Our public health nurses provide the coordination of care, with primary healthcare providers, on all children and pregnant women who are identified as lead poisoned (venous blood lead level >5ug/dL.). The care coordination team provides case management which includes education to our families, physicians and the public and, ensures that children have follow up care until their lead levels are below the state mandated levels and their environment is made safe.

    Our environmental health inspectors conduct environmental investigations to identify and mitigate the sources of lead to which a child or pregnant women may be exposed. The inspectors evaluate and document all observed potential sources of lead exposure, conditions conducive to lead poisoning and behaviors potentially contributing to exposure. Any time lead hazards are identified, the program provides education and issues a Notice and Demand outlining the conditions conducive to lead poisoning. The department then verifies that the conditions have been eliminated through appropriate lead hazard remediation and satisfactory clearance dust wipe samples.

    The CLPPP also works with the Regional Lead Resource Center at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore and its affiliates, housing agencies and Managed Care organizations to assist in providing safer housing from lead hazards and exposure through education.

    More than 85% of houses in Westchester County were built before 1978, when lead was banned from residential use. We are currently following 250 children and pregnant women that are lead poisoned in Westchester County. Our care coordination and environmental teams work tirelessly to ensure the safety of our youngest Westchester County residents and pregnant women.

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About Local Health Departments

New York State relies on its local health departments to promote, protect and improve the health of residents. The core public health services administered by New York's 57 local health departments and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene include Communicable Disease Control, Chronic Disease Prevention, Community Health Assessment, Environmental Health, and Emergency Preparedness and Response.

Without these local health departments and their dedicated employees, these essential services would not be provided. The Honor Roll recognizes the outstanding workers that keep New Yorkers healthy.

For more information on the local health departments in New York State, please visit the New York State Association of County Health Officials (NYSACHO) Website.