By Times Staff
Gloucester's public health director has been accorded a major state award for his work in the face of several city health issues over the past two years.
Jack Vondras has been named the winner of the Massachusetts Health Officers Association's John D. Crowley Award for his "outstanding leadership and extraordinary service," according to an announcement from the association.
The award is given annually to a regular member of the Massachusetts Health Officers Association who has contributed to the growth and success of the Massachusetts Health Officers Association through outstanding leadership and extraordinary service.
Robin Chapell, the award presenter, chairman of the MHOA award committee and past president of the MHOA, said "he (Mr. Vondras) has had more than his share of public health crises.
"Besides preparing for H1N1, he has had to deal with teenage pregnancy and water problems. He handled these potential crises in addition to his regular work with great confidence and skill," Chapell said.
Chapell also praised Vondras as an " ... innovator in public health, having shepherded some wonderful public health projects through implementation including a model sharps collection program, opening a federally qualified Community Health Center in Gloucester, and working on teen pregnancy and thus STD (sexually transmitted diseases) issues."
Gloucester has presented Vondras and the Health Department with a series of challenges. In 2008, he and other city and school officials wrestled with the aftermath of a spike in teen pregnancy that plunged the city into the national and global spotlight, and sparked changes in the School Committee's policy on distributing birth control materials to students.
Under Vondras' watch, the Health Department and substance abuse program coordinator Joan Whitney have also led a collaborative city effort to fight all sorts of abuse and misuse of alcohol, illicit drugs and prescription medications.
In addition to coordinating Gloucester's H1N1 response progams, Vondras also dealt this past summer with a boil-water order issued by the state's Department of Environmental Protection, though he also came under fire amid that crisis for a notice sent through the mayor's office indicating that the city's water was "safe for drinking" when statistics later showed the city's water had failed four tests for coliform bacteria at that point.
Vondras' honor drew praise from Joseph Rosa, chairman of the city's Board of Health.
"I can affirm that Director Vondras has performed his duties with exemplary diligence and expertise and has done so under a series of trying circumstances," Rosa said.
"Gloucester should take pride in this recognition," Rosa added.
Vondras, a graduate of the University of Maine and the University of Tennessee with a master's degree in Public Health, represents the MHOA as a member of the National Association of City and County Health Officials. There he works on national, state and local issues that affect the health of Gloucester residents.
Vondras enjoys the continual challenges of the job.
"One of the most exciting parts of this job is never knowing what's going to happen next," he said in a prepared statement. "Every time the phone rings it could be a serious problem, or a minor one. You just never know."
Vondras started his long career in public health in the Peace Corps as an agricultural agent, and has worked as a nutritionist in programs in Lowell and Boston as well as at the state level.
He has served as manager of Community Education for the AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts, and director of public health AIDS programs for the Boston Department of Public Health.
Before coming to Gloucester, he was health director for the City of Somerville.
