Lora Lacey-Haun, dean of the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Nursing, has been appointed by Kansas City Mayor Sly James to serve as co-chair of the Kansas City Health Commission.
The Health Commission consists of 17 members, all appointed by the mayor. Lacey-Haun was appointed as a three-year member in 2012. The other chair position is City Councilman Michael Brooks. Lacey-Haun’s chair position represents a community health leader.
“I am honored to receive this position,” said Lacey-Haun. “The mission is to provide healthy solutions for Kansas Citians, and I take that very seriously.”
Lacey-Haun is already taking action in her new role that she was appointed to in January. She and other health leaders nationwide recently signed a petition asking the Food and Drug Administration to regulate the amount of caloric sweeteners in sodas and other beverages, arguing that scientific consensus is that the level of added sugars in the products is unsafe.
“We felt it was very important for us to make a statement that the FDA should be making policy about what the appropriate level of sugar consumption is,” she told The New York Times this month, noting about 30 percent of Kansas City’s population was overweight and another 30 percent was obese.
With the Affordable Care Act and changes in Medicare, Lacey-Haun envisions the next few years on the Health Commission will be busy ones. The charge of the Commission is to provide structure and oversight for the cyclical development, implementation and evaluation of the Kansas City-Community Health Improvement Plan, and to advise the mayor and City Council on health-related programs and policies. The Health Commission’s mission is to achieve a citywide collaboration and partnership of organizations and individuals to work together to build a healthier community.
The Commission’s committees:
- Health Planning
- Minority Health and Health Equity
- Tobacco Use Reduction
- Women’s, Infant’s and Children’s Health
Among other items on the Commission’s agenda for 2013: vending machines throughout Kansas City with healthier offerings.
Lacy-Haun came to UMKC in 1981 and has been a professor, assistant dean and, since 2004, dean. She’s long pushed for greater student-body diversity in gender and ethnicity. In January, Ingram’s magazine named her as one of nine “2013 Icons of Education.” She’s scheduled to retire from UMKC later this year.
About the UMKC School of Nursing
The UMKC School of Nursing offers a full range of education programs including a four-year bachelor’s degree (BSN), an RN-BSN, a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), a Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) and the Ph.D. in Nursing. Research at the UMKC School of Nursing is focused on Women’s and Children’s health and the school is a center of excellence in the provision of health care and education in these areas, emphasizing urban health care and wellness. For more information about the UMKC School of Nursing, visit http://nursing.umkc.edu/. You can also find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
About the University of Missouri-Kansas City
The University of Missouri-Kansas City, one of four University of Missouri campuses, is a public university serving more than 15,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional students, and celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2013. UMKC engages with the community and economy based on a four-part mission: life and health sciences; visual and performing arts; urban issues and education; and a vibrant learning and campus life experience. For more information about UMKC, visit www.umkc.edu. You can also find us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and watch us on YouTube.
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