News
Current Category : Articles : News : Corporate News :
Anne Bakar and Telecare Honor Dave Kears at Public Health Heroes Awards
April 09, 2007
Dave Kears and Anne BakarAnne Bakar and Telecare were proud to honor one of our long-term partners, Dave Kears, at the Public Health Heroes Awards ceremony, held recently at the Yerba Buena Center For The Arts in downtown San Francisco.
The Public Health Heroes honor was established in 1996 with the objective to broaden people's awareness and understanding of the public health field by recognizing individuals and organizations for their significant contributions and exceptional commitment to promoting and protecting the health of the human population.
Public Health Heroes presenters and honorees(Read the full text of Anne's introduction here) In her introduction, Anne Bakar said about Dave Kears: ".. The following are just a few of Dave Kears' hallmark initiatives that have dramatically improved the availability and quality of services to Alameda County residents during very difficult times:
1. Identifying creative ways to leverage local and state dollars, using federal matching funds, local grants, tobacco tax and other initiative funding... leaving no stone unturned to blunt the impact of reductions elsewhere in the system and to turn one dollar of local funding into three. (Some have called this hallmark Dave’s financial wizardry as an agency director; I call this Dave’s passion to protect the most vulnerable).
2. Establishing public/private partnerships and performance-based contracts, that bring a greater measure of accountability and effectiveness to the allocation of public funds and gradually shifting the role of the agency to the guardian of the public trust rather than the direct care provider. (Some have called this hallmark Dave’s masochism as an agency director; I call it Dave’s courage to do the right thing.)
3. Collaborating across traditional lines, across health and welfare agencies, school districts, criminal justice systems, city and county lines, wherever necessary to build “buy in” for change, create more effective governance and increase opportunities to blend highly regulated funding streams. (Some have called this hallmark Dave’s political astuteness as an agency leader; I call it a dedicated social worker at work.)
A hallmark is traditionally understood as a sign of distinctiveness and quality. And Dave Kears both initiated and exemplifies them all.
For the last 30 years, Dave Kears has worked doggedly to engage stakeholders, build partnerships, and create endless opportunities for improved services and supports.
His passion, courage and collaboration have laid the groundwork for us. And his vision and history will carry us into the future.
I ask that all of us here tonight salute Dave Kears for his three decades of leadership, not only through words of gratitude and appreciation, but also through our deeds. Remember the hallmarks of Dave's legacy and carry them forward. Our capacity to serve the underserved is still being sorely challenged and we need to draw on his legacy as a compass to guide us.
The passion to make a difference, the vision to forge new partnerships, the creativity to counter deficits, the courage to challenge the status quo, and the humanity to make it all work. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you our hero, Dave Kears."
