Thanks to many organizations in Putnam County, residents have access to services and activities that help keep them and our community healthy.

Check back soon for information about the posters shared at the 2024 Public Health Summit.

Please complete this survey about important health issues in the communities you serve. Please answer based on your experiences through the role you hold at your organization. We expect there will be more than one response per organization. Together, Nuvance Health and local health departments will use the results of this survey and other information to help prioritize community health needs. Your survey responses are anonymous. Thank you for your participation.

8:30    REGISTRATION & BREAKFAST
9:00    WELCOME & INTRODUCTIONS
Michael J. Nesheiwat, MD, Interim Health Commissioner & County Executive Kevin Byrne
9:15    KEYNOTE: CREATING TRAUMA INFORMED SYSTEMS AND EQUITY OF OUTCOMES
Andrew Bell, PhD
10:45  BREAK & POSTER SESSION
11:15  HOW DO WE ASSESS HEALTH IN PUTNAM COUNTY?
Alison Kaufman, DVM,  MPH
12:00  LUNCH
1:00    COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT AWARD PRESENTED BY:
Live Health Putnam Coalition
1:15    COMMUNITY PARTNER SURVEY
1:30   PUTNAM HOSPITAL’S ROLE IN EXPANDING ACCESS AND ENHANCING COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
Mark Hirko, MD
2:15   COOKIES, COFFEE, AND CONNECTIONS

Click here to view Dr. Bell's presentation

Dr. Andrew Bell is a licensed clinical psychologist with a Ph.D. from Columbia University and M.A. from New York University. His work in community mental health spans a variety of settings and roles, including outpatient therapist, inpatient psychologist, child psychiatric ER director, director of two school-based crisis programs, and co-developer of a multi-site school-based crisis initiative in the Bronx. Since 2009, he has been Program Director for Westchester County’s Department of Community Mental Health where he oversaw Children’s Mental Health for 10 years, and now leads DCMH’s efforts toward trauma-informed systems change. Andy has published peer-reviewed empirical research on dreams, personality disorders, and public health strategies to avert preventable ER visits and psychiatric hospitalizations. He received Family Ties’ Champion of Children award in 2014 and was recognized in 2015 by Fordham University’s Children and Families Institute for Research, Support, and Training. 

Click here to view Dr. Kaufman's presentation

Alison Kaufman, DVM, MPH is the epidemiologist at the Putnam County Department of Health. In this role, she is responsible for disease surveillance, outbreak investigation and response, routine health assessment, population health initiative evaluation, and special projects conducted to better understand health issues in Putnam County. She is the lead author of the Department’s triennial Community Health Assessment and the annual Putnam Executive Summary of the County Health Rankings and Roadmaps- which she will be discussing with you today. She came to Putnam via the New York State Department of Health where she was a member of the Vector-Borne Disease unit and Coordinator of tickborne disease research projects within the Bureau of Communicable Disease Control before being drafted into COVID-19 response activities supporting the Mid-Hudson Region. Prior to her time at NYSDOH, she led zoonotic and vector-borne disease programs as a Public Health Advisor at the Dutchess County Department of Behavioral and Community Health. Her primary interests are in understanding the interactions between pathogens, animals, people and the environment, & promoting a “One Health” approach to Public Health. She holds a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University and a Master’s Degree in Public Health from the University of Iowa.  

Click here to view Dr. Hirko's presentation

Dr. Mark Hirko, a healthcare executive with diverse clinical and academic leadership experience, is the president of Putnam Hospital in Carmel, NY. The hospital is part of Nuvance Health.
Dr. Hirko began his tenure with Health Quest Medical Practice in 2017 as associate vice president of surgical services, women’s health, and medical specialties. He collaborated with senior and physician leadership to enhance care across the system and helped develop undergraduate and post-graduate medical and surgical education programs.
An Ohio native with more than 30 years of experience in surgery, Dr. Hirko previously held the position of chair of the department of surgery, director of the general surgery residency program, and medical director of the vascular lab at Monmouth Medical Center, part of RWJBarnabas Health System, in Long Branch, N.J.
Dr. Hirko completed his vascular surgery fellowship at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Ill., and a general surgery residency at Akron City Hospital, a member of Summa Health System, in Akron, Ohio. He earned his medical degree from the Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. He also received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biology from the University of Akron.
Outside of the office, Dr. Hirko enjoys golf, exercise and traveling to Manhattan with wife, Pamela, to visit their two children