Mary Jo Everhart knows that with the right kind of help, people can better their lives.</p><p>Consider her story, which she told a legislative committee in Jefferson City while she was testifying for public health:</p><p>Years ago, Everhart was a licensed practical nurse, divorced with three young children, working two or three jobs to make ends meet. Then she found a mentor who encouraged her to go back to school and helped her find financial aid to earn a bachelor&rsquo;s degree in nursing.</p><p>&ldquo;I went on the system with food stamps,&rdquo; Everhart told the committee. &ldquo;I received $300 a month.&rdquo;</p><p>&ldquo;&hellip; I have paid (the state back) many times over.&rdquo;</p><p>For the last 12 years, Everhart has been helping people as director of the Platte County Health Department. She recently received the first Nancy Hodge Shy Angel Award, presented by Northland Health Care Access to the person who epitomized Shy&rsquo;s dedication and integrity. The late Shy, through NorthlandCARE/MetroCARE, recruited many physicians to set aside time in their offices to care for the uninsured. </p><p>Everhart works tirelessly to meet the goal of providing high-quality health care, particularly to those without health insurance, said the department&rsquo;s board chair, Robert Stevens, in nominating her for the award.</p><p>During her time as director, the department has doubled its budget and staff to meet increasing needs, opened a clinic in Parkville, hired a primary care physician who starts Dec. 1, added a volunteer dermatologist, established health education and emergency response divisions, and expanded primary care for the uninsured, underinsured and Medicaid patients. Services have been added such as a social worker and a children&rsquo;s library where children select a book to take home. </p><p>In the community, the health department has partnered with other agencies to expand the annual Back to School Fair and the Senior Citizens&rsquo; fairs. A new program to expand Harvesters weekend meal program for elementary school students is coming soon. It will provide BackSnacks to 100 pre-school and high school students.</p><p>In 2008, the health department provided 2,542 primary care visits and 1,678 women&rsquo;s health visits. Everhart manages a $2.6 million budget.</p><p>The health department has built a comprehensive health care program around three words: Prevent. Protect. Plan.</p><p>In flu season, immunizations dominate the public&rsquo;s perception of public health, but the department provides myriad services: WIC, environmental health, birth and death certificates, well baby exams, a women&rsquo;s health clinic, chronic disease management, community education, and health screenings at the Parkville and Platte City clinics. Screenings are as diverse as head lice checks to lead screening for young children to confidential testing for pregnancy, AIDS/HIV and sexually transmitted diseases. </p><p>Everhart calls the staff social worker the &ldquo;what now&rdquo; resource for the woman diagnosed with breast cancer who has no insurance or the person who needs a cardiologist or social services.</p><p>Everhart knows that the health department is often the provider of last resort and sometimes a resource for more than medical issues. Many patients face multiple challenges, she said, as well as multiple medical conditions. In times of recession the need grows. </p><p>&ldquo;Their load just gets heavier and heavier,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;We provide that extra support and reach out that helping hand. We provide holistic care.&rdquo;</p><p>Little things make a difference, Everhart said. She remembers how the staff decorated the Parkville clinic to avoid the sterile, institutional look. They bought final-sale items, fixed the chips, mended the cracks, framed pictures and added color. When a child looked around and in awe asked his mother, &ldquo;Where are we?&rdquo; they knew they had succeeded. </p><p>&ldquo;You may be the only person that day that touches that person, in a way that could change the course of his or her life,&rdquo; Everhart said.