Alison Beam, Pennsylvania's acting health secretary, will depart at the end of December. Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. March 3, 2023, By In rural areas, due to population and location, hospitals can struggle to afford inpatient facilities, according to Acting Secretary of Health Keara Klinepeter. My name is Keara Klinepeter, and I serve as the Executive Deputy Secretary for the Department of Health. She played an instrumental role in creating the Commonwealth's first Human ResourceService Center at DMVA. Keara Klinepeter is by all accounts zeroed in on her expert life, who keeps her own life hidden to people in general. I am honored for the opportunity to lead public health . There are 500 school . Prior to that appointment, Dr. Bogen was a member of the Pittsburgh region medical and research community for more than two decades. My name is Keara Klinepeter, and I serve as the Provided . Tom Wolfs office said Friday. "The Pennsylvania Department of Education has been visiting school vaccine clinics across the commonwealth since the vaccines were approved for children ages 5 to 11, and we are continually impressed by the turnout at these events," said Sec. You have helped develop policies, guidance, and best practices to support Pennsylvanias public health system throughout the pandemic and during this transition that have made the lives of Pennsylvanians better.. And the Department of Health knows it. Klinepeter took over after former Acting Secretary Alison Beam left to take a lobbying job. Ms.Iqbal has a background in public health, healthcare policy, and journalism. joined UPMC as the hospitals Vice President of Government Affairs and Chief Government Relations Officer. Pennsylvania Capital-Star maintains editorial independence. More than 76 percent of Pennsylvania adults are fully vaccinated for COVID-19, and nearly 86,000 vaccine doses were administered in the last week, according to recent state Health Department data. The news of Ortega's planned exit comes on the same day that acting Health Secretary Keara Klinepeter is slated to depart her post as Pennsylvania's top public health official. Three new care delivery models were announced Thursday, March 3, and are designed to increase patient access to care. Ortega was appointed in 2020, replacing Pedro Rivera. - April 18, 2022, Outgoing Pa. acting Health Secretary Keara Klinepeter, left; and her successor, Physician General Dr. Denise Johnson, right. Mr. Ciccocioppo earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from Shippensburg University. Mr. Ciccocioppo has an extensive range of communications and media relations experience in the private and public sector where he served in the executive and legislative branches and, most recently, as communications director for the Department of the Auditor General. Dead [] Tim Stuhldreher "Thank you to Gov. Proudly founded in 1681 as a place of tolerance and freedom. She was one of the founders of the Mid-Atlantic Mothers' Milk Bank and served as the organization's Volunteer Medical Director until assuming her role at the state. The school district partnered with Henry's Pharmacy to provide vaccines to children ages 5-11, as well as vaccines and boosters for teens and adults. Despite what the PA Department of Health claims, Pennsylvania is currently allowing telemedicine abortions. Pennsylvania Department of Health Acting Secretary Keara Klinepeter will be leaving the post. This Week in Pennsylvania: Marc Stier, Nate Benefield, Zabel resigns from committee after sexual harassment, DeSantis to speak in Harrisburg next month, Lobbyist names PA lawmaker she says sexually harassed, PA lawmakers to propose assisted suicide bill, Bipartisan train derailment disasters bill introduced, District III swimming championships final results, Cumberland Valley falls in OT in district championship, Greencastle captures schools second District III, Cedar Cliff wins first District III basketball title, Delone Catholic falls in District III 4A title game, Home offers place for families near local hospital, Local artist draws rescue cat portraits for a good, Mission BBQ donates nearly $370k to Wreaths Across, Cargill at the Harrisburg Ice and Fire Festival, Match Madness with the Partnership for Better Health, Trout Stocking with the PA Fish and Boat Commission. Dave Toth is the Director of the Office of Legislative Affairs at the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Ortegaascended to the top spot in 2020, replacing former state schools boss Pedro Rivera. Klinepeter census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more. "Serving as acting secretary during such a critical time in public . More than 76 percent of Pennsylvania adults are fully vaccinated for COVID-19, and nearly 86,000 vaccine doses were administered in the last week, according to. Keara has been an asset to the Department of Health and the Wolf Administration throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, providing necessary leadership and guidance to prepare for the endemic phase of the pandemic, said Gov. Keara Klinepeter Executive Deputy Secretary PA Department of Health June 17, 2021 m> Pennsylvania DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. She said that her office is many receiving calls from people who aren't able to get tested, even with the Bern Township center open. In 2020, she transitioned to an Executive Policy Specialist and later served as the Deputy Policy Director. Capital-Star Staff Reporter Marley Parish contributed to this story. Klinepeter served less than four months, having succeeded Alison Beam at the beginning of the year. Before her time in academia, she served as the Wyoming State Health Officer and Public Health Division Administrator for the Wyoming Department of Health. Keara Klinepeter, executive deputy secretary for the Department of Health, said that the department is working with staff in areas with low vaccine uptake to address hesitations. announced new COVID-19 guidance to determine whether someone should wear a mask, practice social distancing, and avoid crowded indoor spaces. "We encourage anyone who feels they need or wants a test, especially if they think they have been . She has not shared her birthdate yet. You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. - Tom Wolf announced Monday. 10:00 a.m. - 10:05 a.m. Ms.Findleyalso served as the Acting Bureau Director for Health Promotion and Risk Reduction including services for Nutrition and Physical Activity, Cancer Prevention and Control, Tobacco Prevention and Violence Prevention, as well as the acting Bureau Director of Womens Infants and Children. - Klinepeter is leaving to prepare for the birth of her child, her first, in June, the health Department said. 11:00 a.m. - 11:40 p.m. Panel 2. Pennsylvania's Acting Health Secretary Keara Klinepeter made a visit to schools in Shippensburg this week to promote the idea of getting children five years of age and older vaccinated. Tom Wolf's administration announced. Klinepeter previously worked as the executive deputy secretary for the health department and as special advisor to the secretary of health. Prior to that, she created a public health curriculum for medical students and raised awareness on racial biases and inequities in medical education and the healthcare industry. Kristen Rodack is the Director of the Policy Office at the Pennsylvania Department of Health. She also served as a special advisor to the Budget Director and CFO for the Children's Health Insurance Program at DHS. Thank you to Gov. As of early February, 128 of Pennsylvania's public school districts were signed up to participate in the state health department's free, school-based COVID-19 testing program. I am honored to the lead the department during this transformative time in public health and I look forward to continuing to work closely with the tremendous employees at the Department of Health and ensuring our health remains a top priority throughout the commonwealth, Johnson said. document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); acting Health Secretary Keara Klinepeter was resigning. Just four months into the high-profile job in Gov. Businesses, schools, and residents are open and have the tools and knowledge they need to move beyond the current phase of the pandemic, Klinepeter said. Ms. Iqbal oversees the Bureau of Health Statistics and Registries, the Office of Drug Surveillance and Misuse Prevention, the Health Research Office, the Primary Care Office, and the data modernization initiative. Ortega's last day will be next Friday, April 29, a statement from the governor's office said. Director of Rural Health Innovation. An's education is listed on their profile. Updated: Mar 3, 2022 / 04:06 PM EST. Klinepeter, who is pregnant with her first child,is leaving the acting secretary job in anticipation of becoming a mother, reported Brett Sholtis, a journalist with Harrisburg-area public media outlet WITF-FM. Mr. Toth has over a decade of public service beginning in 2006 working as a Legislative Assistant and Chief of Staff to three state Representatives in southeastern Pennsylvania. Executive Deputy Secretary Keara Klinepeter speaking in August 2021. Credit: PA Internet News Service "I look forward to continuing to work closely with the tremendous employees at the Department of Health and ensuring public health remains a top priority throughout the commonwealth. Stay up to date on the latest from abc27 News on-air and on the go with thefree abc27 Mobile app. Please enable scripts and reload this page. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Keara Klinepeter, the Health Department's executive deputy secretary, will take over as acting secretary, Wolf said. Wolf and Acting Secretary Beam for their steadfast leadership, especially . He has also served as the Department of Healths Right-to-Know Law Legal Liaison, Contracts Coordinator and as the Departments designee for the Governors Advisory Council on Veteran Services. An independent news publication of United Way of Lancaster County. Responsible for maximizing the discoverability of all Edinburgh University Press content across books and journals and managing the day-to-day distribution of digital content to customers, third party vendors and aggregators to ensure data integrity. You have successfully joined our email list. Public hearing on Education during the COVID-19 pandemic. HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) Gov. When it comes to declaring an endemic a disease thats always present and usually predictable Pennsylvania is looking to the World Health Organization to make that call. Keara Klinepeter, Pennsylvania's acting state health secretary, discusses the status of the COVID-19 pandemic on Feb. 25, 2022. - She received her undergraduate degree in Social Work from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and her Master's degree in Social Work from Temple University of Pennsylvania. By Val Arkoosh Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Area. She also has experience working with Long-Term Care Facilities throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, leading the procurement of a $28.5M testing partner, along with two other procurements, and working with the Department of Human services to co-lead the Regional Response Healthcare Collaborative Program and the transition to the Regional Congregate Care Assistance Teams. Keara has been an asset to the Department of Health and the Wolf Administration throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, providing necessary leadership and guidance to prepare for the endemic phase of the pandemic, said Wolf. After graduation, Mr. Snyder served as a legal intern for the Judge Advocate General and United States Army War College in Carlisle and clerked for the Honorable Richard J. Walsh of the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas of the 39th Judicial District in Chambersburg. Alison Beam, Pennsylvania's acting health secretary, will resign at the end of the year, Gov. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) (Matt Rourke/AP) See the complete profile on LinkedIn and discover An's connections and jobs at similar companies. Tom Wolf announced Monday morning, and will be succeeded by a Chatham and Carnegie Mellon University graduate. The importance of sanitizing infant feeding items In a modern, first world country, its easy to forget that potentially deadly bacteria can thrive anywhere. She will be replaced in January 2022 by Keara Klinepeter, the department's executive deputy secretary. Shortly after Fridays press conference, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced new COVID-19 guidance to determine whether someone should wear a mask, practice social distancing, and avoid crowded indoor spaces. 10:00 a.m. - 10:05 a.m. Cloudy. An independent news publication of United Way of Lancaster County. A Pennsylvania native, Marley Parish covers the Senate for the Capital-Star. Ms.Findleyhas served as the Bureau Director of Communicable Diseases, where she oversaw the Divisions of Immunizations, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Tuberculosis and HIV. In a teleconference with reporters, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said that the overall risk of severe disease is generally lower. Klinepeter also served as the Director of Rural Health Innovation for the department, where she was responsible for designing, implementing, and expanding population health initiatives that focus on social determinants of health. Opening remarks. Senator Scott Martin, Majority Chair, Education Committee . At least four Planned Parenthood locations (Philadelphia, West Chester, Wilkes-Barre, York) specifically informed the PA Department of Health that they are now using telemedicine services, with two locations (Wilkes-Barre, York) specifically stating they offer abortion as a telemed service. Ms. Klinepeter has experience representing the department through testimony to the PA Legislature, publicly in media events and by engaging daily with a range of stakeholders. HARRISBURGGov. She will being her new role in the new year. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Ribbon cutting held for Founders Hall in Hershey, Winter games for Special Olympics begin in York, Man intentionally sets motel room on fire: Police. The state is also prioritizing protecting vulnerable populations from coronavirus. Tom Wolf not vetoed legislation last session legislation that would have specifically banned the use of the unsafe procedure of using telemedicine for abortion services. Before joining the Department, Dr. Braund was the Director of the Center for Public Health Practice, Associate Dean for Practice, and a Professor of Health Policy and Management at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health. By She dedicated her career as a pediatrician to caring for children and families impacted by social inequities. She held a primary academic appointment as Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh, and secondary appointments in psychiatry and clinical and translational science. The state's Acting Secretary of Health Keara Klinepeter emphasized these points of information Wednesday during her visit to Geisinger-Lewistown's COVID-19 vaccination clinic.