Mt Ascutney Hospital and Health Center (MAHHC) employee Melanie Sheehan was presented with a Prevention Champion award during Prevention Works! VT’s annual Prevention Day event held at the Vermont State House. Sheehan is MAHHC’s Director of Community Health Outreach and Chair of Mt Ascutney Prevention Partnership (MAPP), serving the towns of Windsor, West Windsor, Hartland and Weathersfield, Vermont.
Sheehan was honored by Prevention Works! VT, a network of coalitions and community organizations working to decrease the prevalence of tobacco use, drug use, underage drinking and high-risk drinking in Vermont among youths and young adults. The Prevention Champion award recognizes those who help provide support for a healthier life in the community by reducing risk factors for alcohol and drug abuse.
A longtime employee of MAHHC, Sheehan earned the award for her multiple successes in building powerful collaboration between MAHHC and community organizations. “For more than 12 years, Melanie has worked on prevention issues in Windsor County,” says Kevin W. Donovan, Hospital CEO.
“We applaud her dedication to communicating a consistent, steadfast message, advocating the importance of prevention as a key component in creating healthy, livable communities.”
Prevention Works! VT coalitions involve hundreds of volunteers from a variety of sectors who are concerned, interested and engaged in working to prevent substance abuse. During this year’s Prevention Day event, activists, including Sheehan, met with their local Senators and Representatives to discuss the importance of substance abuse prevention in the community.