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Interim health officer Deb Lentz outlines five‑point plan; commissioners press on infant mortality and funding risks
Summary
Interim health officer Deb Lentz presented a vision prioritizing workforce stability, equity, community engagement, public‑health modernization and visibility. Commissioners asked about the persistent Black infant mortality gap, emergency authority, and program funding (HRSA grant through March 2026).
Deb Lentz, interim health officer for Kalamazoo County Health and Human Services (HCS), presented a one‑year roadmap to the county commission on Dec. 2, emphasizing workforce stability, an equity framework, multisector community engagement, public‑health modernization and visible communication.
"Public health is a core responsibility of county government," Lentz said, describing 22 years in county public‑health roles and a leadership approach that favors listening and shared decision‑making. She said her first‑year priorities will create predictable feedback loops for staff, expand home‑visitation and community health worker support, and use data to target services where disparities…
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