In celebration of National Public Health Week, the Iowa County Health Department joins its federal, state and local partners in helping bring awareness to the work of public health. National Public Health Week occurs each year in early April. This year’s theme – Ready. Set. Action! – calls on each of us to look back at the progress we’ve made and look forward to the steps needed for an even healthier future. Because one truth guides it all: Good health doesn’t just happen. For more than 150 years, public health has reshaped what’s possible in the United States adding decades to life expectancy and dramatically improving quality of life. These achievements didn’t happen by accident. They were the result of public health nurses, environmental health specialists, scientists and advocates doing the hard work of public health. Public Health Week is a perfect time to recognize partners that improve quality of life for our residents and are a great support to us at the Health Department. Each Public Health Week, the Health Department identifies an individual who has shown unwavering dedication and exceptional efforts in impacting public health. This year, we have identified two deserving individuals.
The 2026 Friend of Public Health Award recipients are:
Peter Mullin MD. Meghan Brokopp DVM Dr. Mullin is a board-certified physician in family medicine with obstetrics. He practices at SSM Health Dean Medical Group Clinic in Dodgeville. Dr. Mullin serves in a critical role as the Medical Advisor for the Health Department and Board of Health, and is an integral part in overseeing the clinical services we provide. We sincerely thank him for his breadth of knowledge, expertise as well as unwavering service and support. Dr. Brokopp is a veterinarian and owner of Montfort Veterinary Service. If you have had the pleasure of meeting and interacting with her, you are well aware of what an incredible veterinarian she is. She is beyond competent, and importantly, she is also compassionate, kind and constantly goes above and beyond. She truly puts her patients, their owners and her community at the forefront. We are super grateful to her for her advocacy and mindfulness of the impact her work has on public health.
Public Health Week is also a great time to highlight the launch our new newsletter called Healthy Connections – a quarterly newsletter with practical tips, resources, and ideas to help our community live healthier lives.
Each issue will feature:
- Chronic condition spotlights
- Simple wellness tips
- Easy movement ideas
- Healthy recipes
- Local resources and programs
Subscribe • now https://mailchi.mp/iowacounty/healt hy-connections
Often the work happening at the Health Department is invisible. We work hard every day to help our communities remain healthy and safe. Just a few examples of how our work keeps us all healthy include making sure our food and water are safe to eat and drink; making sure infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, measles or pertussis don’t spread; and assisting with access to essential health services. The work of public health is also the relationships we foster in our communities. We’re all interconnected. We encourage our residents to come together to support our work in public health as we can’t do it without the help of the community. All of us – individuals, families, communities and the public health field – can achieve the goals of public health.
More information can be found every day about the events and programs at the Health Department by following us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/iowacountyhealthdepartment or check out our website https://www.iowacountywi.gov/departments/HealthDepartment also check out Healthy Iowa County https://healthyiowacounty.org
You can also always give us a call at 608.930.9870