Meet Community Health Outreach Worker Katie Lucas

By Venessa Stacy, Coordinator of Special Programs

The Community Health Outreach Workers in Health Education and Outreach at the Garrett County Health Department promote health messages throughout the county to encourage wellness and the prevention of risky behaviors so that residents live longer, healthier lives. This is accomplished by emphasizing messages that promote healthy eating and physical activity and that prevent or reduce the misuse of tobacco, marijuana, alcohol, prescription drugs, and illegal drugs.

Katie Lucas is one of the Maryland Certified Community Health Workers in the Health Education and Outreach division. She has been with the Health Department for more than two years and is currently serving the communities of Swanton, Bloomington, Loch Lynn, Mountain Lake Park, and Oakland. 

As an Outreach Worker, Katie assists local businesses with providing worksite wellness opportunities for employees, where she brings in the prevention message for the month, offers blood pressure checks, maps out walking trails, sets up challenges that employees can complete to win prizes, and promotes healthy behaviors to help build up workplace morale.

“We never know how much of an impact we can have on someone else,” Katie said. “In November, we shared a success story from one of my worksites, “One Woman’s Journey towards Better Health,” and we have gotten a lot of positive feedback from it. The takeaway message is, “today is your opportunity to build the tomorrow you want.”

Mtn. Lake Partners is one of four health department-sponsored community planning groups throughout the county that host fun, educational activities for families and residents of all ages. 

“Mtn. Lake Partners is a new group that I helped get started,” Katie said. “It has been a big success thanks to our wonderful members for answering the call to help their community.” Some activities that Mtn. Lake Partners have offered are Bowling Night, Let Summer Begin, and historic walks through Mountain Lake Park. 

“The new community planning group has been one of the best things to happen in my town of Mountain Lake Park. It has provided a wonderful opportunity for local residents interested in enhancing the quality of life in our community to come together, brainstorm and plan a wide variety of programs and activities, and then execute those plans. Their health-conscious, family-oriented events have been educational, informational, and perhaps most importantly, fun,” shared Mayor Don Sincell.

“We are always looking for new members, new ideas, new ways to bring the community together,” Katie added. “Feel free to come to our meetings. The Mountain Lake Park Mayor and Town Council have been a big asset in helping us get our group going. They are very open to letting us host events and help us get the word out about making healthy choices.”   

In her Outreach position, Katie has been helping Dietitian Amy Ritchie for the past two years. “I love to learn how to help show support to our community through being healthy and living a better lifestyle,” said Katie. “Amy has taught me so much about how to present and help people take control of their health. I love doing my job because of the joy I know it brings families,” Katie added. “I’m a big family person, and I love it when family and friends can strive to better themself in any way.”

Katie’s experience working with Amy has inspired her to pursue further education in nutrition, and she is currently working toward becoming a certified nutritionist.

If you, your community, or your workplace could benefit from collaboration with an Outreach Worker, contact Venessa Stacy at Garrett County Health Department at 301-334-7730 or 301-895-3111.

Cutline: Outreach worker Katie Lucas with family.