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KCSP Recognizes Local Policymakers and Advocates for Leadership in Creating Smoke-free Communities

McCracken County FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America) earned the Smoke-free Youth Advocate Award for excellence in promoting secondhand smoke education and smoke-free policy.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 4, 2021) — The Kentucky Center for Smoke-free Policy (KCSP), the Kentucky Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program (KTPC)Kentucky Department of Public Health (DPH) and the University of Kentucky College of Nursing hosted its virtual 2021 KY Tobacco Control Awards Ceremony to honor advocates and city leaders who are leading the way to adopt tobacco-free and smoke-free policies that advance healthy environments for Kentuckians. The ceremony took place on Aug. 3 via Zoom.

The ceremony welcomed health advocates from across the Commonwealth to celebrate the monumental changes being made toward creating healthier environments where Kentuckians live and work.

“The actions taken by these remarkable government, health, and youth leaders to protect the public health is truly inspiring,” said Ellen Hahn, Ph.D., professor of nursing and KCSP director. “Despite challenges, all sectors of the community are coming together to attack the massive health and economic threat from tobacco use in the Commonwealth.”

Keynote speakers and award presenters included:

  • Dr. Steven Stack, Kentucky Commissioner for Public Health, and
  • Karla Sneegas, program services branch chief in the Office on Smoking and Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The following awards were presented:

  • Knott County received the Everette Varney Smoke-free Indoor Air Excellence Award for their exceptional leadership and collaborative efforts in promoting the health of their citizens by enacting a countywide comprehensive smoke-free workplace ordinance.
  • The McCracken County FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America) earned the Smoke-free Youth Advocate Award for excellence in promoting secondhand smoke education and smoke-free policy.
  • The Lee T. Todd Jr. Smoke-free Hero Award was presented to Anthany Beatty, retired assistant vice president for public safety at UK, for his courage, leadership, perseverance, and continuous commitment to smoke- and tobacco-free environments in the face of adversity.
  • Felicia Troutman, Owensboro Health, received the Timothy W. Mullett, MD Lung Cancer Prevention Award for her leadership, devotion, and passion toward preventing lung cancer through education, advocacy, or policy change in tobacco or radon control, lung cancer screening or other lung cancer prevention activities.
  • The Lifetime Achievement in Tobacco Control Award was presented to Donna Teegarden, retired health promotion manager with the Bracken County Health Department, for her exceptional career devoted to leadership in tobacco control.
  • Madison County Schools received the Tobacco-free Campus Award for their exceptional leadership and collaborative efforts in promoting a healthy campus environment by implementing a 100% tobacco-free campus policy.
  • Rebecca Horn, public health services manager at the Green River District Health Department, received the David B. Stevens, MD Smoke-free Advocate of the Year for excellence in promoting secondhand smoke education and smoke-free policy. Three additional outstanding advocates were nominated by their peers for this award: Shirley Roberson Daulton (Lake Cumberland District Health Department), Sherrie Stidham (Kentucky River District Health Department), and Breanna Williams (Northern Kentucky District Health Department). 

Sponsors for the 2021 KY Tobacco Control Awards Ceremony were: UK Healthcare, Kentucky Health Collaborative, Interact for Health, Kentucky Asthma Management Program, CHI Saint Joseph Health and Aetna Better Health of Kentucky.

As part of the University of Kentucky College of Nursing’s BREATHE team, KCSP promotes healthy environments and lung health in order to achieve health equity through research, community outreach, advocacy and policy development (@kysmokefree). Click here for a map and list of smoke-free ordinances in Kentucky.

The Kentucky Department for Public Health is responsible for developing and operating state public health programs and activities for the citizens of Kentucky. DPH’s mission is to improve the health and safety of people in Kentucky through prevention, promotion and protection.

The Kentucky Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program in the Cabinet for Health and Family Services aims to reduce preventable and premature deaths attributed to tobacco use by implementing programs to decrease tobacco use and exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke. This includes local and statewide programs encouraging youth not to use tobacco products and helping those who want to quit in doing so (@KyTobaccoFree).

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.   

In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.