Gilchrist II Recognized Nationally for Leadership in Improving Health Outcomes for Communities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 31, 2022
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Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II is nationally recognized for his leadership in improving health outcomes for communities

Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist Named 2022 Recipient of National Lieutenant Governors Association’s Improving Lives and Communities Award

LANSING, Mich. – Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II today received the Improving Lives and Communities Award from the National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA). Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist is the 2022 recipient of the annual award presented in partnership by the NLGA and Anthem.

“I appreciate this recognition, as well as the opportunity to raise awareness of Michigan’s unique efforts to improve the quality of life for all residents, especially those most at risk and in need,” said Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II. “I hope my peers in other states can learn from our experiences and achieve similar, positive results in their communities.”

The Life and Community Enhancement Award is given to an NLGA member who works to improve the lives of constituents by influencing aspects of community life and addressing the social drivers of health.

Presenting the award, Patrick Gillespie, Regional Vice President of State Affairs Anthem, said, “Lt. Governor Gilchrist’s passion for addressing health disparities and improving health outcomes is a great example for leaders in state governments across the country. As the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed many disparities in health care access for low-income and at-risk communities, Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist’s statewide leadership in addressing these challenges at a systemic level is to be commended, and we are honored to present him with this recognition. »

Elected in 2018, Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist has dedicated his career to solving problems using innovation, reform and modernization. Under his leadership, the Michigan Coronavirus Racial Disparities Taskforce took action to address the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on communities of color, creating programs to help more residents obtain health insurance, increasing test sites in areas in great need and by integrating sites into neighborhoods. provide cultural and linguistic assistance and vaccine education. As a result, Michigan has seen significant progress in limiting COVID-19-related disparities in communities of color. A study by the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy and the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices found that the task force has made significant and lasting progress toward its goal of reducing racial health disparities associated with the coronavirus pandemic. COVID-19.

Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist also embarked on two boom town tours for face-to-face conversations with residents of Michigan cities. These conversations focused on five key areas that can impact the health and quality of life of residents: affordable and available housing, generational economic opportunity, environmental quality and justice, children in cities, and mobility, public transport and transportation.

Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist has worked hard alongside Governor Gretchen Whitmer to uplift communities across Michigan. He co-chaired the Michigan Task Force on Jail and Pretrial Incarceration, which issued recommendations to improve the efficiency of Michigan’s justice system. Along with the governor, he set up the Clean Slate delisting process, building our economy by giving a fresh start to hundreds of thousands of Michiganders who were unjustly denied a chance at jobs, housing and a education. Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist has worked hard to improve accessibility and ease of use for Michiganders using this new process and has created an automatic clearing process. As a former computer engineer and software developer, Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist led the administration’s efforts to connect Michigan communities and grow our economy through affordable high-speed Internet access.

“The NLGA partners with this recognition process to assist in the bipartisan identification of leaders committed to effectively addressing our nation’s current and future challenges,” said NLGA Director Julia Brossart. “By recognizing Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist, attention is drawn to his accomplishments in Michigan in a way that can bring ideas to other states and territories.”

The award was presented to Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist at the 2022 NLGA Meeting on Relations with Federal States. To learn more about the NLGA Improving Lives and Communities Award, visit: https://nlga.us/programs/awards/improving-lives-and-communities-award/.

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