On Monday, Dr. Michelle Staples-Horne, Physicians for Reproductive Health Board Treasurer and a faculty member for our Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health Education Program, was presented with the Bernard P. Harrison Award of Merit at the 40th annual National Conference on Correctional Health Care in Las Vegas. According to by the biography provided by the National Commission on Correctional Health Care, from 1993 until her retirement earlier this year, Dr. Staples-Horne worked as the medical director for the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice, where she built from the ground up a health care program to meet the needs of youth involved in the state’s correctional system. For young people whose health histories are particularly likely to include inconsistent access to care, undiagnosed medical and mental health issues, trauma, and additional difficulties, it was especially critical to ensure a high standard of care, and Dr. Staples-Horne’s efforts throughout her career have resulted in a system capable of rising to that unique challenge. Georgia’s youth correctional system now provides a comprehensive array of health services that adhere to clear procedures and quality standards, and the state has been recognized a national leader in juvenile correction care.
In response to the award, Dr. Staples-Horne told us, “I’m very excited and appreciative for the recognition from my colleagues in correctional health. It is an honor to receive the NCCHC Bernard P. Harrison Award of Merit. He was a trailblazer in correctional health, as I have also tried to be by creating a system of health care for juvenile justice involved youth in Georgia. I am most proud of the public health impact I have made by providing health screenings, dental care, STI treatment, wellness programs, infection control and immunizations to this vulnerable population.”
We’re thrilled to congratulate Dr. Staples-Horne on this spectacular distinction honoring her decades of service and leadership.