Dr. Bob Stolarick, Executive Director of the Georgia Public Health Association (GPHA), Scott Maxwell of Mathews and Maxwell, Inc., and Charlie Hayslett of the Hayslett Group, were invited to present during the Health and Human Services segment of the Policy Committee hearing on June 23rd, conducted by the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG). The meeting was held at the Eatonton Plaza Arts Center in Eatonton, Georgia.

Like GPHA, ACCG is a statewide organization of long standing in Georgia. ACCG is a nonprofit instrumentality of Georgia’s county governments formed in 1914 and serves as the consensus building, training, and legislative organization for all 159 county governments in the state. ACCG has been a good friend of GPHA and public health in Georgia. Our group presented information about GPHA, Georgia health data, healthcare reform, available grants, the Advancing Public Health in Georgia Campaign supported by the Healthcare Georgia Foundation, and legislation and issues in common to both GPHA and ACCG. The Policy Committee will consider our testimony and that of others as it formulates the ACCG Policy Platform for 2011.

Chairman Rick Gardner from Bryan County, Vice Chairman Desse Davis from Emanuel County, and staff member Debra Nesbit from ACCG were kind hosts. This is one of two meetings of the committee that will result in a platform.