Home Plate Youth Services honored at Washington County Public Health Week

Dorian Russell, executive director of Home Plate Youth Services, said the organization received a Community Collaboration Award during a National Public Health Week celebration hosted by the Washington County Public Health Division.

At the event, a moderator opened the program by saying the gathering was "in celebration of public health week" and to recognize "the contributions public health and public health professionals have made to our community to keep our community healthy." Russell told attendees, "Home Plate Services is receiving a community collaboration award," and praised the county staff the organization had worked alongside.

A Washington County Public Health staff member said that the division "on our own can't do the type of work" being recognized and emphasized the need to "partner and be and work closely with community that have that trust and that connection with the communities they serve." Another staff member highlighted a youth art contest held for Public Health Week, saying student submissions "really highlighted different aspects of public health that we don't always think about." A third staff member stressed prevention efforts, stating, "We prevent illnesses. We prevent, disease outbreaks," and expressed gratitude for a week devoted to recognizing that work.

Russell also framed public health work broadly, saying, "public health is doing work that is economic development" and that it "is doing work that contributes to housing," arguing the region benefits when people are healthy.

The event was presented as a recognition and community celebration; no formal motions, votes or regulatory actions were recorded in the transcript. Organizers used the occasion to spotlight partnerships, youth engagement through an art contest, and the preventive role of public health in local wellbeing.