Irene T. Pierce, Executive Director of the Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center, has announced her retirement.

 

"Irene's retirement is a tremendous loss to the Health Department. Under her leadership there was continuous emphasis on providing as much service as possible despite the dwindling resources for public health. She was the right person for the agency during this time," said Michael Waxman, Chairman of the Lake County Board of Health. The board plans to conduct a national search for the next executive director.

 

Pierce began her tenure with the Health Department as the Associate Director of Medical Services in 1990. She was the Director of Primary Care Services for 13 years before being appointed executive director in 2008.

 

Under her leadership the Health Department has facilitated healthcare for 50,000 patients per year in Primary Care and maintained core services for the chronic mentally ill in Behavioral Health Services. She has fostered numerous community collaborations that have improved the health of the community and has invested her efforts in legislation and policy development at the state and federal level. She has represented the Health Department on many local and national boards and has managed the impact of funding reductions.

 

During her tenure she played an instrumental role in the development of the Kids' 1st Health Fair, which provides free healthcare services to more than 1,000 school-aged children every year. The fair has evolved into a community-wide collaboration with The United Way of Lake County and Rosalind Franklin University Health System. She also worked directly with all of the Lake County hospitals to create a specialty care program that provides clients with access to much needed specialty diagnostic services and treatment.

 

"I have been so fortunate to be a part of this wonderful organization. The Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center is not only a safety net for the underserved, but also provides health protection that maintains the quality of life for Lake County residents. I'm so proud of the work that we do and I see evidence of the impact we have on our community every day," said Pierce.

 

In her retirement Pierce plans to continue to advocate for the care of the underserved, be a voice for public health and promote social justice.

 

Pierce, who has a master's degree in nursing, previously worked with Evanston Hospital Corporation, affiliated with the McGaw Medical Center at Northwestern University. She also spent 18 months working abroad at Tokanui Hospital in New Zealand developing the first Visiting Nurse Program for the chronically mentally ill.

 

Pierce will leave the Health Department in March 2013.

 

Established in 1958, the Lake County Health Department/Community Health Center is a state certified public health department responsible for the prevention of disease and disability, the promotion of health and the maintenance of a healthful environment. Today, it is rated among the top 6 percent of approximately 3,000 local health departments nationwide, by population served, financing and workforce. Based in

Waukegan, it maintains approximately 50 programs in Grayslake, Highland Park, Lake Villa, Libertyville, Mundelein, North Chicago, Park City, Round Lake Beach, Round Lake Park, Vernon Hills, Waukegan and Zion.

 

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