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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Zachary Thompson, director of the Dallas County |
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Department of Health and Human Services, has received the 2009 |
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Health Care Award from the Interdenominational Ministerial |
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Alliance of Greater Dallas; and |
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WHEREAS, Dedicated to helping those in need, the IMA has |
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served the Dallas community for more than 50 years; its Health Care |
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Award honors individuals who work to maintain the well-being of all |
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members of society, including the most vulnerable; and |
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WHEREAS, The mission of the DCHHS is to protect Dallas County |
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citizens through disease prevention and intervention and by |
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fostering a healthy community and environment; in addition to |
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conducting assessments, monitoring disease outbreaks, and |
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providing health services and community education, the agency helps |
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control the spread of disease through regulation; and |
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WHEREAS, Under the direction of Mr. Thompson, the department |
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has responded quickly to crises and undertaken numerous important |
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initiatives, among them Point of Distribution training for area |
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municipalities and large employers and hosting of a pandemic |
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influenza tabletop exercise for representatives from the |
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education, business, civic, law enforcement, and medical |
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communities; the DCHHS Medical Reserve Corps received national |
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recognition for its exceptional contributions during the response |
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and recovery efforts following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and in |
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2008, the DCHHS heat-related illness surveillance program was one |
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of 25 local public health programs to receive a Model Practice award |
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from the National Association of County and City Health Officials; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Thompson, who holds both a bachelor's and a |
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master's degree in social work, became director in January 2004 |
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after eight years as deputy director; he has guided his department |
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in protecting those in frail health through such endeavors as a |
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weatherization program for low-income residents and the provision |
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of air-conditioning units to the elderly and disabled; under his |
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leadership, the DCHHS has received more than $4 million in grants to |
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support its work; and |
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WHEREAS, A caring and dedicated public servant for more than |
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20 years, Zachary Thompson has executed the mission of the DCHHS |
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with tremendous skill, and his commitment to the safety and |
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well-being of all area residents has placed the agency at the |
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forefront of public health preparedness; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Zachary Thompson of the Dallas |
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County Department of Health and Human Services on receiving the |
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2009 Health Care Award from the Interdenominational Ministerial |
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Alliance of Greater Dallas and extend to him best wishes for |
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continued success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Thompson as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |