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Proclamation congratulating Dr. Caroline Jean Acker upon the occasion of her retirement from Carnegie Mellon University and Prevention Point Pittsburgh.
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WHEREAS, in 1995, Dr. Caroline Jean Acker, an internationally recognized public health historian, co-founded Prevention Point Pittsburgh with James Crow, thus establishing Allegheny County’s only harm reduction and syringe exchange program; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Acker served the community for 20 years as board member, chair and active volunteer at Prevention Point Pittsburgh, working tirelessly to improve the health of residents of the city and county by reducing cases of HIV, hepatitis and other bloodborne diseases, broadening the range of prevention services available to injection drug users, and increasing awareness of their health needs; and
WHEREAS, as a result of Dr. Acker and her colleagues efforts, in 2008, Allegheny County Council authorized the establishment of a “Needle Exchange Program for Communicable Disease Prevention and Providing Drug Treatment Opportunities” of the Allegheny County Health Department; More than 21,000 Allegheny County residents have received disease prevention, health promotion and overdose prevention services through Prevention Point Pittsburgh; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Acker has served as the Associate Professor and Department Head of the Department of History at Carnegie Mellon University for 22 years, where she has taught and mentored countless undergraduate and graduate students; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Acker has published many scholarly works and is the 2008 recipient of the Benjamin Rush Individual Public Health Award from the Allegheny County Medical Society for her outstanding contributions to the betterment of the health and welfare of the citizens of Allegheny County;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Allegheny County Council does hereby congratulate Dr. Caroline Jean Acker upon the occasion of her retirement from Carnegie Mellon University and her leadership...
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