Garrett County WIC Coordinator Carol Bass has worked with several generations of women and children as they accessed the services at the Garrett County Health Department WIC Program since she began working in the program in 1979.
“I love seeing grandmothers come in with their kids who are starting new families and remember them as WIC kids from many years ago,” Bass said. “I have watched WIC grow from a small program where caseload was maintained on index cards to a dynamic program which through the years has touched many Garrett County families and improved the health of multiple generations. It provides needed food support, along with education and guidance, to maximize potential for our kids. To me, it is an example of what a perfect public health program should be.”
As she retires in the next several weeks after working at the health department for a total of 38 years, and serving under the tenure of five different health officers, Bass looks back over the many programs and initiatives she was a part of. Although she spent her entire career within the WIC Program, beginning as a WIC Clerk and then being promoted to WIC Coordinator, Bass served in various other capacities within the health department. Some of those include: Improved Pregnancy Outcome Coordinator, Lead Program Coordinator, Maternal and Infant Task Force Lead Staff, Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Coordinator, and the Custodian of Medical Records. She taught Preparation for Childbirth and Breastfeeding classes, and was a member of the Accreditation Committee and Program Management Review Team. She also represented WIC and the health department on various boards, including Garrett County’s Domestic Violence Task Force, Head Start Health Advisory, Western Maryland Food Council, and AHECWest.
“My favorite job at the health department has been helping breastfeeding families achieve their goals,” said Bass, who has also been an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant for 23 years. “I also feel fortunate in being able to assist multiple generations with food resources and information to help Garrett County kids grow up stronger and healthier.”
Bass’ most memorable story was not about herself, but about another staff member who created a very exciting day. “She was driving the new mobile health van and drove under the portico (or overhang) at the hospital and ripped the air conditioner off the van’s roof. She was screaming that she was paralyzed because she couldn’t move, but she had just neglected to undo her seatbelt. The building shook and we thought we were under attack.”
Bass also served on various committees and initiatives for the state WIC Office, including: IT Development Team to develop WOW MIS system (WIC on the Web), trainer for WOW implementation in the US Virgin Islands, and the EBT (electronic benefits) implementation Committee, Train the Trainer Programs for participant centered counseling, and served as President of the WIC Association of Maryland twice.
“In my early years the Health Department sponsored child health clinics and a maternity clinic,” Bass said. “I received a lot of great education and mentoring on maternal and child health issues with clinicians who worked these clinics. We routinely did blood tests for lead poisoning and started treatment for kids with anemia under standing orders from the Health Officer.” During this time the health department did outreach clinics in Kitzmiller, Bloomington, Swanton, Friendsville, Grantsville and Accident, using whatever space available in those communities, or in the previously mentioned mobile clinic van.
What are her retirement plans? “I’m not going to set an alarm the first week of retirement,” Bass said. “I want to catch up on my ‘need to read’ list, take care of my garden in a way it deserves, grow more flowers, visit friends and family in close by and and faraway places (daughter Emma is moving to Japan), and perhaps schedule a trip to Glattfelden, Switzerland, and visit where my ancestors called home. I want to spend more time on our family farm, and cook and bake good things. I am open to new experiences and opportunities. Who knows, I may catch up on laundry and vacuuming the upstairs.”
Cutline: The Health Department recently celebrated the retirement of WIC Coordinator Carol Bass after 38 years of service to the agency. Pictured above from left to right are WIC staff members Heather Cooper, Karen George, Bass, Tracy Savage, Dierdre Shue, and Kristi Cassada.
By Diane Lee, Public Information Officer, Garrett County Health Department
Contact: [email protected]
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